


A Hero's Durability

by Live



Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Battle, Broken Weapons, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Injury, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Memories, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Team as Family, Wild (Linked Universe) Angst, World Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-29
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:00:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 61,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21608713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Live/pseuds/Live
Summary: Wild didn't always know why somethings were important to him, but he knew if it was he'd risk anything for it. These weapons... he knew they were important.
Relationships: Link & Riju (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 95
Kudos: 562





	1. Lightscale Trident

Hateno was peaceful. In all the time Wild had remembered and existed in Hateno it had been peaceful. There was the odd troublesome Bokoblin or Moblin, but neither had ever set foot in the actual village. Skirted close to the edge, would occasionally lure livestock away, but never set foot in the village. It was peaceful, thus the perfect place to rest for a couple days. 

“Thank the Goddesses!” Legend huffed once Wild had shown them into his house. “I don’t think I can walk another step.”

“Guess you’ll be sitting in the entrance then?” Time teased as he took a seat at the table in the middle of the spacious room. 

“No,” Legend snorted, the single word sounding like a threat as the young man forced himself to sit with Time. 

“I will,” Sky groaned, letting himself fall to the ground beside the door in a mess of limbs. “I will happily take this spot.” 

“Can I go upstairs?” Wind asked, shoving his way in and unceremoniously crushing Sky’s foot.

Sky was too tired to make a noise of protest.

“Sure. Just don’t go messing with the books up there,” Wild agreed and with a whoop Wind took the stairs two at a time.

Warriors chose this time to throw an arm around Wild’s shoulder, not a hair out of place; not smelling of sweat like the rest of them. “Why the secrecy? Some age in-appropriate reading?”

Wild rolls his eyes; shoves Warriors further into the house so he stopped blocking the entrance. “Obviously not... there’re some journals that have been entrusted to me. To help with the memory loss.”

“Like the Mipha one?” Legend asks; Wild takes note not to let that particular Link upstairs. Legend’s curiosity could be a dangerous thing.

“Yeah, I can’t keep all of them on hand at once, so I take turns switching them out,” Wild explains, conveniently ignoring the fact that he keeps Mipha’s journal with him at all times. 

“I’ll go up there then,” Swords says with a shake of his head; carefully trudging upstairs. “Make sure Wind doesn’t get any ideas.”

“Hey!” The offended yell doesn’t fail to make the older members of their group smile.

“You have a nice place, Cub,” Twi says; stopping to the side of the entrance beside Wild, but giving Hyrule enough space to squeeze through. 

“Thanks,” Wild smiles; looking over everything. He was proud of the place. He had tried so hard with Bolson to make the place liveable and then homely. Zelda always enjoyed staying here when they were in Hateno (assuming she didn’t get so caught up in research that she just crashed at Purah’s). 

“I especially enjoy the weapons!” Hyrule grinned, his attention instantly drawn to the sharp blade in the far corner that rested beside a colourful shield. 

“Don’t touch them,” Wild forewarned, heading to an area under the stairs. “I don’t want them getting broken.”

“Don’t want them broken?” Warriors snorts. “You? You used a sword to try and move a boulder.”

“And as a butter knife,” Time couldn’t help but add; it was amusing, if a little distressing, how many different ways Wild could use a weapon. 

“Exactly,” Warriors stresses. “You’re not exactly the best at weapon care.”

“These ones are different,” Wild says, coming out with his hands full of herbs and rice. “I don’t even want a scratch on these ones, that’s why I’ve hung them up. Anyways I’m going to cook; the cooking pot is outside. Twi make sure they don’t make a mess.”

“Sure,” Twi answers, amused, as the others complain about the perceived insult on their cleanliness (and from Wild of all people; the one that attracted dirt even while standing stationary).

As expected; as soon as the door clicked shut behind him Hyrule and Warriors are on the weapons. Both reaching to take them from their weapon mounts. With a world weary sigh Twi marches over.

“Come on, leave them alone,” he chides, physically halting Hyrule. Warriors dances out of the way; towards a much larger weapon. 

“What’s the problem?” Legends grumbles from his seat. “You all went through my stuff, when I told you not to.”

“Then surely you know why you shouldn’t just go through his things,” Twi narrows his eyes at Legend; careful with his words. There’s an obvious glaring reason why they really should leave Wild’s things alone that Legend doesn’t have; they can never be sure which items of his are tied to his memories. Even though they can’t be sure Twi would bet money these weapons are intrinsically connected with Wild’s past. 

“Hey, I’m not touching his stuff,” Legend gestures at himself; comfortably sprawled out. “I’m just pointing out the hypocrisy. Now Warriors on the other hand.”

And he’s right Warriors is completely at home with himself as he hefts the largest weapon before himself. It’s a mixture of sword and hammer and is larger than everyone, except maybe Time. Warriors is going to break something.

Twi marches a protesting Hyrule to Time. Holds the arm he’s holding out to Time.

“Babysit him, please?” Twi half demands, half requests.

Time takes Hyrule’s arm with a grin. “Sure. I’m sure I can do with the practice.” Then directs their second most unruly party member into the seat beside him as Twi moves on to Warriors.

Warriors is twisting the blade in his hand. The hilt held loosely. All Twi can see is it slipping out of his grasp and into the bows behind Warriors. 

“Come on,” Warriors grins as Twi approaches. “It’s a waste to just let weapons like these dust.”

“They’re not dusting,” a voice says overhead, and looking over the railing upstairs is Swords and Wind. “They’re actually incredibly well maintained. Even polished. No wonder you’re appreciating them, Warriors.”

The last bit is said sarcastically, but Warriors pays it no mind. There’s nothing wrong with keeping a good image.

“Surely that means we should use them, or at least Wild- his other weapons are abysmal at best,” and it’s true. Wild would make wonderful use of these weapons, so much more than if he just continues to use whatever he finds, but...

“We found a picture,” Wind admits, holding the frame in hand. The Links on the ground floor can’t tell what’s in the frame, but bringing it up now can only mean one thing.

With a reluctant sigh Warriors replaces the large weapon back where he took it from.

It was still a waste.

Wind comes down with the picture, because of course he does. Twi wants to chide him, tell him to put it back, but Wind looks up at him. All large puppy eyes. It reminds him of the kid’s back home. How Talo would insist until he got his way, how Malo just went forward and did whatever he wanted, how Beth would beg and plead with an adorable pout; how Colin would silently stand to the side, wanting but not demanding. 

He lets it go for now. It’s not as though Wild has been particularly secretive on the people he remembers in his past. He hopefully won’t mind them looking at the picture.

With a whoop Wind rushes to the table to show everyone. Swords gives Twi a sympathetic look as they slowly follow the kid. 

“So that’s Mipha, right?” Wind says, pointing at the Zora standing beside Wild. Everyone in the image is being pushed closer together and in Mipha’s case she’s being squished directly against Wild’s back: it makes her cheeks blush red... or maybe they’re naturally red; her skin alternating between a pure white and bright red.

“She’s not a Zora like I’ve seen them, but I believe so,” Time answers; he remembers the picture Wild had shown him of a beautiful blue statue. He hadn’t expected such contrasting colours, but the statue definitely captures Mipha’s looks perfectly.

“I’ll say. The Zoras from my time are... drastically different,” Legend mock shivers and Time rolls his eye. 

“Yeah, Zoras aren’t so friendly back in my Hyrule,” Hyrule agrees, before pointing at the large guy in the back. “Do you guys know what he is? I’ve never seen someone looking like that.”

“A Goron,” Time explains. “Their skin is like rock and they usually live in mountains, but they can survive anywhere... assuming it’s not underwater.”

“They can kind of survive there too,” Twi helpfully adds; remembering accidentally sending a Goron to the Zora Domain in his own time.

“You don’t have any Gorons where you’re from?” Wind asks Hyrule, who shakes his head in the negative. 

“No. Don’t have any bird people either,” he gestures at the blue winged fellow stuck behind Mipha. “The- Goron was it?- looks friendly enough though.”

And he does the Goron is stood behind them all, a large grin across his face as he brings everyone in for a hug. The bird person, as Hyrule put it, looks like he’d rather be anywhere else. Leaving two other people left in the photo; both more human looking than the other three, one of them familiar to all in the room.

“I think he’s a Rito,” Wind says. “Wild says he has Rito in his Hyrule as well and they’re essentially bird people. They look different though.”

Every Hyrule looks different though. Walking through each of them was always startling with their differences. Even the culture switched between each Hyrule. It was mind boggling at times.

“Zelda looks well,” Sky says fondly, finally dragging himself from the front door to join them at the promise of learning more of their most elusive Link (which couldn’t be more of a contradiction when one takes into account how much he’s willingly shared with them). 

“She does,” Time agrees, he doesn’t think he’s ever seen Zelda look so causal and at peace. His Zelda was always on high alert, always worried; always planning. It’s surprising how this Zelda can look so lax, when he knows she isn’t really. Wild had told him of their (Wild and Zelda’s) worries and stresses. The expectations so great Wild had chosen to never speak again, only his lack of memory had brought his voice back. 

“She is definitely a lovely looking lady,” Warriors agrees, in his own way, “but I’m more curious about this wonderful looking lady.”

“That’s Urbosa,” a voice startled them all from behind. “She’s a Gerudo. You might want to be careful how you compliment them, you’ll end up married to a Gerudo before you can even question if that’s what you want.”

“I... what..?” Warriors stutters, looking just like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Twi can only imagine how’d he look if Wild had come in a few minutes earlier, especially now that they know the weapons on the wall belong to the people in the picture. They can see the weapons mounted on the walls in the picture.

Wind, who is still holding the picture frame, almost slams the thing on the table to hide exactly what they’re looking at. Time manages to stop him. Keeps the photo safe from shattering. Wild snorts.

“Don’t worry. You’re safe to look at it. I only forewarned you about the books and weapons... Zelda has a copy of the photo and we can make another copy so, I’m not too worried about the picture,” he looks at it so fondly that the others can’t help but feel some amount of guilt from looking at it. This is what Twi meant by the difference between Wild and the others.

There was so much that could lead to Wild lashing out. His memories, his friends; his inferiority complex. He’s not the only Link amongst them with these problems, but the others are pretty easy to know when to stop. When to back away; when to retreat. With Wild there’s never a way to tell what will set him off. What will have him yelling, hurt; fleeing from them (and his memories). 

Taking this photo. Putting it on display for everyone to see. It could have had Wild turning tail from his own house; the other Links having to spend hours looking for him in an unknown Hyrule. But, it hadn’t. Surprisingly it hadn’t. He looks almost fond while looking at the photo. Not a drop of anger or disappointment rolling across his sturdy frame. 

“Anyway I just came back in for some plates, food is almost done if anyone wants to help me bring it back in,” Wild tears his eyes away from the photo. “As I said as long as you don’t touch the weapons or books you’re fine to wander around. Like I’d expect any less.”

And it’s sadly true, every Link in this room has a habit of being too curious. Many a broken pot can attest to that.

“I’ll help,” Twi offers. 

“Me too,” Swords agrees. 

“I’ll keep an eye on the kids,” Time smirks as the others protest. 

Wild laughs, leaving his house once more. Twi hopes they only have the pleasure of seeing his joy over the course of this little detour.

——

Hateno was definitely the break they needed. What with even the easiest one shot enemies suddenly being hard to fight, what with enemies ganging up together in almost impossible mobs and having some kind of enhancement that changed their blood black; what with the too close brush with death not that long ago. Hateno was definitely needed. 

It was domestic in a way some of the Links had forgotten. It was quaint in a way they all loved. It was home, even to those that had never set foot in it a day before. It was also a delight to see Wild’s usual day to day when he wasn’t traversing across the lands and saving the day.

“Link! Do you have this weapon?!” 

“Ah, I know I say it a lot, but thank you for helping with my flock... You should come over for dinner sometime- as thanks.”

“It‘s rare to see you without the Princess nowadays, how’s she faring?”

It all painted an interesting image of Wild, one Twi hadn’t expected. Wild had told Twi his Hyrule was basically deserted, there weren’t a lot of places left for the living. He expected the few settlements would be depressed, lifeless, yet this village was flourishing for all it was lacking. He could see why Wild would buy a house here. It was pleasant. Wild also had friends nearby. 

“How odd,” Purah had adjusted her glasses and struck a pose as she observed each Link. “I wonder if the Sheikah tech could do something like this? I mean it can be used for transport and it kept Linky alive and youthful for 100 years.”

“You as well,” Wild had said, his tone teasing and completely drowning out Legend’s amused ‘Linky?’.

“What does that imply?” Warriors had questioned, every members of their party being subjected to Purah’s scrutiny.

“Purah’s over a hundred years old,” Wild had explained. “Experimenting with Sheikah tech accidentally led to her physically de-aging.”

“Not only physically,” Purah had argued, striking a pose. “I’m mentally younger too. I still have all my aged wisdom though!”

“What does that even mean?” Twi had muttered to Wild, trying to keep his voice down so as not to accidentally raise Purah’s ire.

“You’ll see,” he had assured. Twi was sceptical. He need not be. 

Over the days they had met Purah the disparity between her physical, mental and experienced years were jarring. One second she’d be explaining complex theories as though they were the everyday, only to believe the tallest most exaggerated tales she heard; the kind of tales even a child would raise a brow to. One day she’d be reminiscing of the decades past with a longing that was hard to comprehend, only to squeal and gush over the potentials of tomorrow. It was odd, but odd was a common occurrence on each of their journeys. It was a relief to experience in some ways, especially when one takes into account that she was doing all this to help them.

Most of the Links were used to allies helping them and offering guidance. Purah was no different. 

“So, Purah thinks she should have some idea about the time distortions by tomorrow,” Wild explains as they walk down the street. His shoulders relaxed, even though his hand never leaves the pommel of his sword. 

“We’ll probably get moving on afterwards then. Can’t relax for too long,” Twi had reasoned (more to himself than Wild; he had enjoyed this short break, one where he didn’t have to worry about everyone dying and where he could peel the heavy layers of his armour off). 

“Yeah, we should probably head West next, if Purah doesn’t discover anything, Kakaroki village is that way. Hyrule Castle might have some information as well, there’s a large library just... we’d have to find everything ourselves,” Wild said, already prepared for what to do next. This was his Hyrule after all. It’s different in a lot of ways. Nothing like Twi was expecting even after the fair warning.

He knew, logically of course, that Wild’s Hyrule was desolate. That there wouldn’t be as many people. Wild had told him, in excruciating detail, how few people there were. How many ruins there were and how much the world was overgrown. Even if Wild hadn’t told him it was obvious in the way Wild reacted to everyone else’s Hyrule. He was in awe at villages with a couple hundred people, he was overwhelmed by the castle towns everyone else had. Then there were Wild’s... interesting quirks.

“Why don’t you just throw a bomb in? It’s easier to catch fish if you blow them up.”

“What do you mean I can’t scale the side of the building? There’s clearly something up there. It could be useful!”

“I thought it was a wild plant, I didn’t know people kept them as house plants. Did you know they’re very good to for keeping a wound from getting infected?”

Each thing had brought endless frustration for the other Links. Not because of Wild’s cluelessness, they got where that came from, but due to the disasters Wild left in his wake. Every other hero found themselves apologising and clearing up after him and in this world it was obvious why.

They hadn’t seen the endless destruction, yet, Hateno and its surrounding areas left pretty untouched by the attack 100 years ago. But, the people were fearful of leaving the area, grasped onto anyone who was willing to travel out. Begged for travellers to send letters, begged for information on other villagers; were willing to ask anyone with as much as a stick in hand to save them. Even in this untouched land.

So, Wild’s eccentric quirks made sense. No one cared if he blew up fish with his weird bombs, because it’s not like the bomb blowing up could do more damage than the enemies surrounding them. No one cared if he scaled their houses, because really it was a moment of levity amongst all the darkness they’d dealt with. No one cared if Wild picked wild plants that sprouted everywhere, because... well they were in abundance. Wild’s life was so different to theirs and so was his Hyrule. And they hadn’t seen anything yet. 

A roar, so loud it pierces through the skull and takes root there, echoes around them. It would normally be something to set Twi on guard (and it does, he reaches for his sword and shield and regrets leaving his armour back at Wild’s), but seeing Wild’s shoulders tense sets even more alarms off in Twi’s mind. His head is a mess of roars and bells. A headache.

“Wha-”

“No time to explain!” Wild yells, sword drawn and running in the direction of that sound. Twi does manage to catch something that sounds like “Lynel. Shouldn’t be here,” so that’s... not really what he wants to hear.

He chases after Wild. 

Some people in the village have taken off running away from the sound. Some villagers, look around unsure, standing tense probably wondering what’s coming for them now. The kids wonder around without a care, playing happily. 

“Take cover!” Twi yells at those not knowing what to do as he runs after Wild, he doesn’t know the threat but if the freak out is anything to go by. It’s bad. 

Another roar ricochets around them. The sound loud enough to make the windows of the buildings vibrate. The sound more than Twi’s warning is what gets people moving back into their houses. Thankfully parents collect their kids on the way. Twi and Wild keep running and the sight before them, well Twi would say it’s surprising to still be shocked at what the world has to offer, but the last month or so has been one surprise after the other so no. No surprise. This is just a horrifying sight. 

The entrance of the village has been torn apart. Where once a welcome sign sat is now a bunch of sliced and seared wood, but of course the horrifying sight is that of a dead horse. The poor creature has a large bleeding gash down its flank and scorch marks everywhere, the ends of its mane is still alight. A man is stuck under the horse, crying and struggling. Sky and Wind are there trying to help, but-

“Not like that!” Twi calls out, running over. “You could kill a man like that.”

“Ah! Sor-” Wind goes to let go of the horse in panic (hearing you could kill a person... it makes sense), but Twi manages to grab the dead horse’s body before the whole weight falls back on the man. 

He strains with the weight. Adjusts his grip. Adjusts the position of the horse. The man groans.

“It’s fine...” he huffs, the words not coming easy under the weight. “Help Sky pull him out, be careful of his leg. It’s probably broken.” 

Sky and Wind pull the man out carefully, having to play dead to the man’s pitiful pleas. If they stopped every time he cried the man would be dead by the time they got him out. It seemed cruel, but they were doing what they had to. Once the man was out, Twi carefully placed the horse back on the ground; not willing to just let the corpse drop to the ground. 

“Right, Sky can you manage to bring the man somewhere safe on your own?” Twi asks.

“Yeah, I should be able,” he adjusts the grip he has on the man and Wind carefully let’s go, looking completely unsure. “Where exactly is safe though?”

“The... Inn,” the man gasps and with a nod between them all Sky carefully leads the man that way. 

Twi turns to the horse’s corpse. He’s never seen wounds like this... then again he’s sure he’s the only one who’s seen wounds inflicted by twilight so that’s not saying much.

“Did you see what did this?” He turns to Wind.

“Kind of,” Wind takes his sword in hand, staring at it a little sceptically. “If was pretty big and ran off in that direction. Warriors and Legend ran off after it. I don’t know where the others are.”

A quick look around them. “I’m going to guess Wild went after it as well. Let’s join them, they probably need the backup.”

“Right,” Wind says, determined, and leads them behind the shop nearest the entrance of the village. The area has clearly been trampled and a large weapon has run through some of the structural integrity of the building. The hoof prints in the dirt makes Twi falter. They’re large... was whoever did this riding a large animal? He’d rather have his Epona around if he was going to be going against a mounted enemy. 

They hear the sounds of fighting before they see it. They hear the sound of arguing before they see it.

“We need to lead it away from the village!” They hear Warriors voice first. “If it keeps this up its going to destroy everything.”

“Lynel’s don’t chase!” Wild calls back. “They’ll take you retreating as their win and carry on doing whatever it is they usually do!”

“Didn’t you say they’re also incredibly territorial and don’t leave their usual areas? From what you said this isn’t its usual area. Unusual behaviour already noted, maybe it will chase!” Legend yells, he sounds out of breath. 

“And I thought you said you had Lynels in your Hyrule!” Wild sounds frustrated. Never a good sound, Wild frustrated always led to him making mistakes. “You should know they’re creatures of challenge! They won’t fight unless you draw your blade first! So why would they chase a fleeing enemy?! One that’s clearly showing they’re not worthy?!”

“Clearly our Lynels are different, because I don’t- watch out!” Legend cuts off and his voice sounds panicked. Twi understands exactly why as he and Wind round a final corner.

A large beast. A beast with the legs and lower half of a horse, but so much larger than any horse Twi has had the pleasure of seeing (and he had seen many horses in his life of ranching), the body humanoid in structure, but so much more muscular than anything Twi had seen (one arm was bigger than Twi’s whole body) and the head of a lion (it’s mane flared out around it in odd angles, making its face seem like it was the sun itself). In its hulking hands it held two axe like blades. The blades were aimed directly at Wild. The beast having finished a mad dash at the small Hylian and planning to rip said Hylian in half.

There wasn’t anything any of them could do. The beast- Lynel- moving faster than any of them could even dream. Wild’s sword and shield were out, but what good would they do against such large weapons (especially when one takes into fact that all of Wild’s weapons were so lacklustre). Twi doesn’t want to see this. He doesn’t want to see this! Wild had been knocked to the ground not too long ago, Twi hadn’t been able to do anything then. Worried for his life, and couldn’t DO anything. He had been stuck as a wolf on the other side of a horde of enemies and here he was! Human, in an open field and he still couldn’t do anything. He didn’t want this!

He couldn’t look away. 

“Wild!”

In the millisecond it took for the Lynel to attack. In the millisecond it took for Twi to gasp out Wild’s nickname. In that one millisecond. The impossible happened. 

Wild somehow jumped over the blades. Blades that without a target to hit crashed together in a horrendously loud clang. Then, as though time stopped for everyone but Wild, he had charged forward and swiped at the Lynel. Twi wouldn’t be able to say how long Wild kept up his barrage, but it ended with the blade he carried destroyed. And leaving Wild weapon-less in front of the large beast.

The Lynel roared.

Wild grabbed the nearest thing. A mop. 

Of course that wasn’t really a problem, what with Twi and Warriors charging forward; what with Wind taking his bow out and taking aim. They keep the Lynel from mauling Wild, but only just. It backed away, in a large arching semi-circle. 

Wild goes to follow.

“What are you doing, Cub?” Twi grabs hold of Wild’s elbow before he can take a second step away from him.

“Usually you want to keep your distance until the Lynel charges; you know plan your attacks out? But we can’t let up. We’re too close to the village to let the Lynel control the flow of battle,” the words from Wild’s mouth are said fast, blurring together as they trip over Wild’s tongue. “So, I was going to attack.”

“Not a smart idea,” Twi gives the mop in Wild’s hands a pointed look. 

“It’s better than nothing,” Wild goes to tug his arm out of Twi’s grip. It doesn’t work. “Twi!”

The Lynel takes his bow out. Aims high. Wild goes to open his mouth to yell something. Wind is distracted by them. Warriors is keeping more of a defensive stance in front of them. And Legend. 

Legend shoots the Lynel straight in the face. The Lynel drops his bow as he claws at the arrow embedded in his face. 

“See. That’s what I’m more used to when it comes to Lynels. Bows,” Legend says breezily. “We have someone here who knows how to deal with Lynels so you don’t have to stay for your expertise.”

“But-”

“Go get your weapons,” Warriors demands, “you’ll be more useful with a good weapon. That mop isn’t going to do anything and you know it.”

“You could also inform the others where we are,” Twi has no doubt the old man is probably on his way to help, but whether he can find where they are… The Lynel roars, blood splattering everywhere (it’s the same darkened black as the other enhanced monsters... this is going to be an impossible fight without everyone at their best). “If you go now, you’ll be back quicker!”

“Fine!” The mop clatters to the ground and Wild runs off. The Lynel doesn’t look at Wild’s retreating form, proving Wild’s point that they wouldn’t be able to lead the Lynel anywhere. 

The Lynel grabs the ground with two hulking hands. Preparing itself. 

“It’s gonna charge!” Warriors informs. “Wind, Legend stay on higher ground; take a shot when you’re able. Twi get prepared to get a swipe with your sword.”

Twi adjusts his grip on his blade, prepares his stance. The other two yell their agreements, scrambling for purchase; Wind on the porch of a nearby house, Legend on the farmland just above this one. 

“What are you going to do?” Twi asks, keeping close to Warriors, but not sure how far he needs to keep.

“I’m going to block it,” Warriors sounds like he’s grinning. No, he’s definitely grinning; Twi can imagine it. A large, almost manic, grin that beseeches a need to bedazzle. 

“You can’t block a charge! That’s not how-”

“Wild said one of the techniques he used against Lynels was a shield bash to stun it,” Warriors explains. “That’s what I’m going to do.”

Wild has strange time slowing techniques. Wild had skills passed to him through spirits. Wild knew how to throw a Lynel off with a shield due to experience. None of these thoughts can be voiced though, and making Warriors doubt himself right now is... probably not a good idea, especially as the beast charges straight at them.

Twi throws his sword behind him, he hears it impale in the ground (a strange squelching sound of Earth being forced to accommodate a foreign object). Adjusts his stance behind Warriors so he can grab the man when he inevitably fails to stop the Lynel’s progress. 

It happens a second later. 

Warriors grunts under the weight of the beast charging at them. Barely able to keep his footing. Twi grabs Warriors shoulders, keeping him upright. Even with the added strength they both leave a good metre of skid marks in dirt. The Lynel gives one last shove before jumping back. They’re barely standing.

“Let’s not blindly follow Wild’s advice next time, alright?” Twi manages to say, his arms aching with keeping the two of them standing. He can only imagine how Warriors must feel, taking the full brunt of the Lynel’s strength. “He considers jumping off a cliff a ‘technique’.”

“You can’t deny he makes it look like a technique,” Warriors says, trying for nonchalant, but his breathlessness betrays him. 

“He’s also fallen face first in the mud, multiple times,” Twi points out, attention pulled in so many directions. Is Warriors ok? What’s the Lynel doing? Where did his sword land? Are Wind and Legend out of the Lynel’s range?

“True. I probably shouldn’t imitate Wild then, it’s well documented how much I hate mud,” Twi has to laugh at the obscurity of it all. Joking at this moment.

“You good to stand on your own?” He asks, still keeping half of Warriors weight on himself. Not risking it yet.

“Of course,” Warriors says, breezily as anything. “Just... taking a moment to think how I’d deal with this kind of creature, seeing as we can’t trust Wild approved ways...”

“Usually, you’d start with figuring out its patterns,” Twi helpfully points. 

“Yeah, just worried over letting a creature that can breathe fire let loose in a village,” Warriors grunts as he finally moves off of Twi. His legs shake but he’s sturdy enough. Sturdy enough for another charge? Well they’ll see. The Lynel doesn’t appear to be preparing for a charge anyway. The beast assessing all of them. 

“It breaths fire?” Twi asks, he knew fire was involved from the horse incident and he’s fought creatures that could, but... they weren’t usually fighting in a bustling village. He’d seen villages attacked of course, his one was, but he was rarely around when people were fearing for their lives. Especially a threat this big in a village. 

He was usually clearing up the messes left behind by the monsters. They all were really. This was an odd situation, one that made them truly evaluate their every move. They had to push forward.

“Cover me, while I get my sword back?” Twi asks, if he had his sword he could focus more. Have less of a split attention.

“Of course,” Warriors agrees, though because he can’t help himself, “you really shouldn’t have thrown it in the first place.”

“It was instinctive,” Twi defends, officially turning his back on the Lynel. New task at hand. “That of trying to not accidentally impale you.”

“I appreciate it, but we can’t afford to be at a disadvantage right now,” Warriors critics, needlessly. Like Twi is unaware of that fact!

Ignoring Warriors jabs, he had a habit of overestimating and underestimating people when it suited him, he scans the ground before him. Hoof prints mar the farmland around them, the poor tilled ground and freshly grown crops have been decimated under the Lynels strong hooves. And impaled in the ground beside some upturned and trampled carrots is his sword. It would be an impressive shot, especially seeing as Twi hadn’t been looking, but right now it was just an inconvenience. At least two metres away.

“You sure you’re good to cover?” He triple checks, his back to Warriors.

“Of course. When have I ever given you reason to doubt me?” Well, that’s true at least. If nothing else Warriors is well versed and well-practiced in the art of warfare. 

“Right, I’m going,” he sprints for it. He may not be able to run as fast as Wild, as Wild has proven on numerous occasions, but he has better stamina. Better control. He can keep a steady pace going for as long as he needs it. It may not be preferable in this kind of situation... it makes sense why Wild had grown to savour short fast bursts of speed over a consistent slower pace. Because, none of them are prepared for what the Lynel does next.

With an earth shattering roar fire erupts from around the beast in a large sphere. It starts from the beast and circles about it perfectly; like it’s the core keeping the attack together. Twi is fine, far away from the attack. He doesn’t even see the attack at first, his attention solely on his sword, but then his vision is consumed by a blinding light. He speeds up, taking Wild’s quick short burst speed to heart. He wrenches the sword out of the ground and turns and-

“Fuck!” Wind yells, truly a sailor’s mouth on him while being the youngest. The very much wooden porch and house he’d been using as leverage catching alight. The dry wood, from the heat of the sun (a rarity if Wild’s complaints were anything to go by), are quick to burn and spread. 

Warriors, closer to the Lynel than them all, is shaking the shield off his arm. The heat unbearable. But other than a few scorch marks and not paying attention to the Lynel closing in on him, he’s fine. 

The Lynel’s charge is brought to a halt by an arrow. Legend still fine and focused. Twi rushes forward. Determined to take a swing at the beast, like Warriors originally planned. 

“I thought you said he breathed fire?” He can’t help but ask, goad, as he runs past the singed hero. He’ll have to trust Warriors and Wind aren’t going to suddenly keel over and die while he’s not paying attention. 

He thrusts his sword forward. His height against the beast meaning it only slices the top of the beast’s legs. But, the horse like structure of the bottom half of the beast assures Twi that, that’s damage that will have to suffice. A horse without the use of all its legs was essentially dead. Of course; the strength of this creature far outshone a horse’s so the slice, although cutting through flesh, seemed to bounce off the beast. 

Twi’s quick to retreat. 

“You alright?” He asks Warriors when he’s beside the man again. Assuring the grip on the hilt of his sword is fine.

“More worried about Wind and that house,” Warriors refrains from groaning. “The closest thing we have to putting it out is that river and I don’t think the Lynel’s going to let us do that.”

No. It wasn’t. It was already preparing to charge forward if its arms braced on the ground was anything to go by. They, Warriors and Twi, are going to have to dodge this time. They can’t risk shielding against it. They don’t have a shield between them anyway; Warriors’ on the ground searingly hot and Twi’s not risking his wooden shield against a creature that uses fire. On the plus side the clouds act like they’ve heard their plea.

Dark clouds circle in on them. The once clear blue skies a sudden torrent of endlessly grey. The rain just starts to hit them both as they jump out of the way from the Lynel’s attack. A tune carries over the wind. From the corner of Twi’s vision he can see Time standing still holding his ocarina to his lips. Swords is beside him helping Wind and checking if there’s any villagers caught in the building that was set alight. He doesn’t see if anyone else is there, because the Lynel swipes his giant weapon down at him.

He jumps back. The blade whistles through the air, just missing him. He sees the beast go for another swing and continues jumping back. Trying to keep the distance. The second swing misses. Barely. It drags its blade high in the air going for a third swing. Twi keeps jumping backwards, happy to be keeping its attention for now. He wasn’t sure how the others were dealing. 

He jumps to the side as the third swing impales the ground he was on; making the earth fly off in all directions. The ground’s not wet enough to be mud, yet, but flecks of damp dirt stick to his face. A reminder of how annoying movement will be in a moment. 

The beast grunts. Hyrule, and Twi can only assume he came with Time and Swords (he wonders if Wild told them or if Wild is with them), jabs at the beast’s back legs. It’s about as effective as Twi’s hit earlier. 

“Lynels are nothing like this in my Hyrule,” Hyrule notes, all casual like as he gets another jab in before retreating. “Still deadly though.”

“Any tips on how to fight them?” Twi asks, because he’s never dealt with these and it’s showing.

“No idea!” Hyrule’s cheerful all things considered. “It was all about positioning and constant movement in my Hyrule. You get to right angle to hit them and you’re fine... of course a stronger weapon would help.”

“Master sword’s with Sky who... is helping some villagers out,” Twi explains, going for his own swipe with his blade, only-

The Lynel not happy with its positioning between the two heroes, charges off. Circling the enclosed area. Eyes darting towards each of them. Judging. Deciding.

“We decided it’d be best to take turns fighting it,” Hyrule explains. “Double teaming and switching in. That way we’re not in each other’s way and no one gets hurt. Too badly.”

“I don’t think it’s going to let us have that choice,” Twi nods towards the Lynel who’s setting its eyes on new prey. Time. It’s looking at Time. 

It goes to charge forward and- 

Twang. 

An arrow. Multiple arrows. Impaled perfectly, impressively, in the beast’s face.

The Lynel falls forward. Its body seemingly stunned as it tries to wrench the things out of its face and then- 

A blur of movement.

Next thing anyone is aware of is Wild mounting the beast’s back. A trident in hand and-

He smashes the forked edges into the beast’s back over and over and over-

Then he’s launching away. The beast howling, but seemingly as fine as always. Wild approaches Legend, muttering about something.

“Are they always so bulky?” Twi can’t help but curse. His attention split between Wild (and that weapon... it couldn’t be?) and the Lynel that’s absolutely fine and still standing (and finally charging towards Time without Wild’s interference- Time dodges out of the way). 

“Well, they’re pretty hard to kill in my Hyrule,” Hyrule informs him. “I’ve never seen one... quite like this mind you.”

“It’s blood has been tainted as well,” Twi explains, remembering the unnaturally dark blood. Enhancement. Wonderful.

“Great,” Hyrule laughs. “At least with Wild around we should have the advantage.”

And they kind of do. Wild’s giving advice where he can and whatever he told Legend has that hero aiming perfect shots from his bow. Each one impaling flesh and stunning the beast. They have a rhythm going that was impossible without Wild. Without experience. But-

It’s taxing.

It’s draining. So Goddess damned draining. Having to concentrate so hard as to not lose a limb. Having to dodge and run in such a precise way to avoid the Lynel’s endless rampage. Worse of all the monster isn’t running out of steam. It keeps up an endless onslaught, thankfully usually switching between targets (allowing each hero a brief reprieve), but not always. Like now.

Twi doesn’t know what he’s done to attract the beast’s attention (maybe he’s taken too many swipes at the beast’s hide?), but whatever he’s done the Lynel won’t let up. Three charges in a row, an arrow from the bow it had retrieved from the ground and oh- there’s fire. Large balls of fire that the beast breathes and he had to dodge without a shield and- there’s another building damaged. 

It’s so goddamn taxing and Twi would really like to have a five minute break, but like the beast will allow it. Any intervention is rebuked, temporarily ignored, but doesn’t slow or stop the Lynel. He just keeps chasing and Twi’s feeling corner and-

Is this how Wild usually felt? Stuck out in the world alone? Hundreds of these beasts roaming? Fighting this complicated dance over and over again? Fighting this complicated dance in the middle of nowhere? Wild... wouldn’t have anyone there to help him if he failed... wouldn’t have anyone to help. He’d have to drag himself to safety if he was harmed... have to hope he didn’t collapse in the middle of nowhere with only the elements beside him...

Twi’s foot slips. At an inconvenient moment.

The squelch of wet mud. The swish of a sharp blade meeting air. The taste of earth on his tongue. The smell of wet grass. The slide of his hands through the manoeuvrable ground. No grip to be found. 

His last moments. The moment where life comes to a halt. Where everything freezes for a second, freezing in terror or acceptance but stopped nonetheless. That is this moment for him. 

For a second.

Then it all rushes back in. Time speeding up so much faster than ever before. The Lynel throwing itself at his prone form. The panicked calls of his name. A glint of light against a propelled weapon.

The trident.

Wild had come back wielding it. Wild had come back wielding it after temporary retreating to his house. A house that held many weapons on display. A house that held many precious weapons on display.

A trident held in the hands of a petite Zora girl. She could wield it fiercely if Wild’s brief memories were anything to go by. Every last image of the Zora girl had her holding the trident in hand. A trident of blue and silver. A trident encrusted in red jewels.

That trident soars through the air. And shatters, shatters, against the side of the beast. 

Twi’s never seen a weapon shatter. 

The blue, silver and red increments fall to the ground lifelessly. Some pelting the Lynel one final time as they fall to the ground. Some the Lynel crunches under its hooves as it changes its trajectory. Away from Twi. Towards Wild.

Twi pulls himself up. Determined to help the Cub and-

“You alright Pup?” Time’s hand on his shoulder stops him. It’s a strong sturdy presence. An unrelenting presence.

“Yeah,” he tries to sound sure. Doesn’t even have to fake it, he’s so sure. Sure he has to help Wild.

Time squeezes his shoulder. Not believing him for a second.

“Get out of here for now. Rest,” Time says, steps closer to whisper. “No wolf business either. The others might not know, but Wild, Swords and I do.”

Twi wants to disagree. Argue. He’s not the only injured hero (he’s not even injured, just tired!) Warriors’ arm is so badly burnt he’s not using his shield anymore, Wind’s done something to his leg if his limp is anything to go by; Hyrule’s arm is bleeding. Wild is surprisingly free of harm; the hero most likely to be injured.

“You’re not even geared up,” Time says, his voice stricter than he usually allows. Clearly predicting the arguments Twi hadn’t voiced and-

It’s not any better an argument. The only fully geared members present are Time, Hyrule and Warriors and even then Warriors has had to throw some gear away to keep fighting. Twi might not be the best prepared; shield useless; armour and a majority of his equipment back at Wild’s, but he’s in no way the worst. Wind has a sword and what he calls his ‘pyjamas’ on. He’s not even wearing his power bracelet. Swords is missing his trusty bag filled with all his equipment and-

“Pup,” Time’s voice had gone to concerned. His other hand coming up to rest on his other shoulder. He shakes him lightly as though to get him to focus and-

When did he last actually voice his thoughts? Has he just been staring into space? Thinking? Maybe... maybe he’s not completely with it mentally. Who was the Lynel currently fighting?

He focuses on Time’s face. It takes a few seconds longer that he’d like.

“Right,” Twi nods his head. Feels dizzy. “I’ll... wait out of the way.”

“You’ll be fine on your own?” Time asks, neither hand letting him go. 

“Yeah,” Twi tries for a smile. “You still have a battle to fight.”

“Right,” and Time’s off, with one final squeeze of his shoulder, and Twi is left to stumble- stumble, he really can’t keep his feet on solid ground- away. 

Twi doesn’t really remember what happens next. He remembers getting away from the fight, struggling to keep his balance against the side of a building (a building he thinks should have been on fire?) and then just needing to sit. So he collapsed on the ground, away from danger (he thinks) and just closes his eyes for a moment. He remembers being jostled and someone helping him move, but his next clear thought it waking up in Wild’s bed.

Wild’s house wasn’t really set to accommodate multiple guests, only having the one bed upstairs, but Wild had learnt to adapt over the year or so of having the house. There were plenty of spare bedding and sheets tucked away, enough to just manage to fit them all in (if they scooted the table downstairs out of the way). Twi had been happily sleeping on the floor downstairs with everyone, so waking up on a much comfier mattress is... new. 

“You’re awake I see,” Time sits beside him. The older hero is stretched back in a seat, a seat stolen from downstairs, and looking relaxed. Unharmed.

“Yeah,” Twi sits up, wincing the whole way, “what happened?”

“Someone knocked their head pretty hard on the ground,” it sounds both teasing and scolding. Twi doesn’t know if he wants to hide away under the sheets from the tone or bask in it. 

“Everyone else?” He asks. 

“Mostly fine,” Time informs him. “Legend and Sky are completely fine. Hyrule broke his leg trying to imitate Wild’s... unconventional mounting trick. Wind and Warriors are suffering from a few burns. Swords has a few scraps. Nothing a few health potions won’t heal.”

“You... didn’t mention Wild,” Twi doesn’t mean to make it sound accusing, but well he feels responsible for the Cub more than the others. 

Time winces.

“Physically he’s fine, but,” Time looks over the railings. “Mentally, not so good.” 

Forcing himself out of bed, the wave of dizziness is nothing to the erratic beats of his heart, he struggles over to the railing. He has to keep one hand on the railing to keep himself straight and hold one hand to his aching head. Below Hyrule is grumbling at his leg, Sky is fussing over Swords; no one else is present. Two weapons are distinctly missing.

“Where is he?” Twi asks, his eyes not leaving the empty weapon mounts.

“We don’t know,” Time sighed. “After we defeated the Lynel and checked on you, he went back to collect the broken trident pieces and teleported away.”

“Teleported?” Twi asked.

“That slate of his,” Time explained. “That’s what Purah meant by the Sheikah slate can be used for transport, it has the ability to warp people around. I assume Wild didn’t feel the need to share that seeing as he couldn’t use it while we weren’t in this Hyrule.”

“Was probably planning on surprising everyone with it,” Wild could find the greatest joys in the smallest things. Alarming everyone with his Hyrule’s ways was definitely one of those joys. 

“Rest up Pup,” Time says, before Twi can even say he was going to go on a walk (was going to find Wild), “all we can do is wait. So, wait we shall.”

——

Waiting was not Twi’s favourite action. Waiting meant something worse could be happening, waiting meant procrastinating the inevitable. But, waiting was all they could do.

They quickly discovered health potions weren’t something you could buy in the village. They’d happily hand out the recipe for making them, but no actual health potions; no ingredients to health potions. Wind had discovered a dyeing shop through their searching and that had led to some interesting inquires. Wind wanted his clothes dyed pink now. But ultimately no health potions.

Hyrule moaned and complained, not really able to do much with a broken leg, while Twi, Warriors, Wind and Swords just dealt with it as best they could. Warriors would flinch every now and then as he pulled burnt flesh further than he should, but he didn’t let it look like it affected him; as immaculate as ever. Swords scraps and cuts had stopped bleeding not long after the fight and would heal on its own, but Sky insisted on checking them and re-bandaging them. Wind was more than content with his burn marks, used to the sun and lava alike. Twi was fine. A couple days of rest and his head stopped aching. Even if everyone around him didn’t agree (which he took offence to; he wasn’t one to pretend he wasn’t injured when he clearly was). Wild was nowhere to be seen.

Purah insisted it was fine. Wild could disappear for weeks at a time and return with more things than was needed. Twi wasn’t convinced, but...

This wasn’t his Hyrule, what was he meant to do? Search the places Wild had told him about?

There was Tarrey Town to the north. Wild had endorsed the place so strongly, admitting it was due to him helping build the town from nothing. A place that guaranteed no hidden memories or agendas. 

There was Zora’s domain. A city that was built high above the river beneath it. Every structure built from a stone that glows at night and beds made of water. A place that was so intricately connected to the trident he had lost.

Gerudo town. A town far in the desert protected by high cliffs and high walls. A town only women were allowed to enter; with Wild being an exception. A place that none of them would be able to follow, a place where he could be alone.

Rito village, high in the mountains far North West from here. The opposite side of the map. It would take weeks to get there and Wild talked of joyful music and peaceful nights. A place he could calm down. 

Any of the mountain ranges surroundings them. Wild liked being high up. 

Twi went to none of them; no matter how tempted he was. Wild sometimes needed to be on his own, as scared as he was to be alone he was just as scared being around so many people for so long. Especially when it came to his emotions. He likes to keep them close, guarded. He only let Twi know as much as he did due to Twi’s involvement through his journey. Everything else he told them was... misleadingly open. 

Telling them how much of his memory he’s lost. Telling them of the people Hyrule lost. Telling them that he had failed. Never explaining how he felt without his memories present. Never sharing who he had lost. Never admitting that he had died trying or that he had succeeded years later. 

Wild was complex. Which is why Twi doesn’t go barrelling after him, even as the days mount up. Instead he becomes productive. Helping at the farmland that had been destroyed from the Lynel attack. 

His help is initially rebuked (“how could we ask you to help? You guys beat that monster for us!”), but well farm work is something Twi excels in. It’s not long after that he’s helping them fix up fences, re-digging farmland and, his favourite part, helping tend to the animals. They’re here until Wild gets back anyway and he can tell they’re all getting restless. 

No hero can completely settle down, even if they do enjoy their brief moments of reprise. A moment to be with friends and loved ones, a moment to relax. Hateno is relaxing, but it’s not their Hyrule. They can’t completely relax here. So, Twi helps fix up the land the Lynel destroyed while the others heal, check in with Purah and do whatever they can to keep the itchy feeling that they should be doing something at bay. At least until Wild comes back. 

Twi’s not there when Wild teleports back, out in the field helping, he hears later that it was Wind who was present. Freaking out as a blue light appeared from nowhere beside the shrine he was investigating. He hears there were a few snide remarks from Legend, who can never help himself, and Time’s soothing touch, the oldest hero relating to Wild too much. 

Wild seeks him out after the initial onslaught of attention.

“You’re alright,” it’s a statement. A statement that jolts Twi out of his mindless work. 

Looking up from the hoe he’d been focusing on is Wild. 

He doesn’t look any worse for wear. Physically, as Time had said, he’s fine. Actually Twi would go as far as to say he looked better than he had in a long time. Doesn’t look like he has a worry in the world. He does look awkward though, as though he was embarrassed.

“Just a knock to the head,” Twi reassures, moving to place the farming tools to their rightful place. “How about you?”

“I... I’m good,” Wild rubs the back of his neck. Definitely awkward then. “Sorry for running off like that.”

“It’s fine. Sorry you lost something important to you,” again. It was unfair how much Wild had to lose. How much he was unaware of losing.

“It’s- you want to go for a walk?” Wild stops himself from saying ‘it’s fine’. Twi can’t help but catch that. Is this progress? Wild always had a problem of just dealing with things until he snapped.

“Sure,” the agreement is easy to come to Twi’s lips. He doesn’t think he could deny Wild of much, the Cub needed something nice in his life. 

They walk through the village. Wild giving a few greetings to those that say hi, but there’s none of the enthusiasm from before the Lynel attack. Only a deep sadness that keeps his joy confined to the back of his mind. Their walk leads them high above the village, following the blue flamed lanterns to Purah’s house. 

“I brought health potions,” Wild says when they’re completely alone. No villagers or other heroes around to hear. “Hyrule, Swords and Wind have already taken one.”

“I’m sure Hyrule was pleased,” Twi shakes his head. “He’s been... antsy.” 

That was putting it lightly. 

“Yeah. Warriors wasn’t around, so I have one for him and I have one for you if you’re still...” Wild gestures to Twi’s head. 

“Nah, I’m good. Honestly,” and he was. His head had been a worry for a day or two, but the ache was all gone and the muscle strain from battle was gone before he had even woken up. “Thank you though.”

“You’re welcome.”

They sit on a cliff ledge. Far above the village. The village consists of no more than twenty buildings and the paths are lined with flickering blue lights. It is a glorious sight to behold; even the acres and acres and acres of wilderness beyond it are impressive. A whole lot of empty fields filled with animals and monsters alike. It’s larger than Twi’s own Hyrule field. He could go from one end of Hyrule field to the other in a day if he pushed Epona. He doubts it would be possible here. He expects it would be a pleasure to ride through. 

“I went to Zora’s Domain,” Wild admits amongst the chirp of birds and crickets; the sizzle of flames. “I... They had always told me they could fix up Mipha’s trident if anything happened to it.”

“So… you got it fixed?” Twi asks, a little hopeful, he hopes the world hasn’t taken this from Wild as well. 

“No- I mean yes, but,” Wild groans. “I got it fixed. The trident was fixed, but-”

Wild doesn’t say anymore. Can’t find the words. Twi doesn’t say anything, waiting; letting the words come to Wild. Letting Wild control the flow of the conversation. 

Wild stands up. Starts pacing around the ledge they’re on. His hands flexing shut and open. He looks like a caged animal and even with all this space and freedom around them Twi guesses that’s what he is. Wild is trapped in his mind. Not always able to verbalise his thoughts. Not always able to think for himself.

“It’s not the same,” the words come out choked. As though tears had gathered deep in the back of his throat, in his lungs, to keep the words from coming to life. Wild sounds so broken. Uncertain. “It wasn’t the same.”

“Do you-”

“Still have it?” Wild interrupts, suddenly frantic. Unable to stop the words from spilling out. He paces. “No. I couldn’t! I mean how could I? I broke Mipha’s soul. She was- I left it with the Zora. The fixed trident. Sidon said-”

Just as soon as the words had come to him, they had left. Wild’s jaw was clenched, his body tense as he sits back down next to Twi. His body moves like he was forcing it through the motions. 

“Zora Domain has these... stone tablets?” Wild tries to explain. “They’re large things that explain the history of the Domain. Some are ancient, others more modern. One... one speaks of Mipha’s... trident.”

“Yeah?” Twi half hums, half asks. Letting Wild know he was still engaged, but not pushing for information.

“Yeah...” Wild agrees easily enough, but takes a while to answer. Staring in front of them. At the vast wilderness.

Twi leaves him to his thoughts for now. He wants to know, wishes Wild would confide all with him, but he’s not unsympathetic to Wild’s plight. Somethings are hard to share, somethings should never be shared. It’s up to the people involved if it should. Twi was a willing participant as long as Wild was willing to share. He’ll wait.

So he stares forward with Wild. Watches as the clouds slowly move to the side. It had rained on and off since the fight with the Lynel, so Twi understood Wild’s hatred for the storms of his Hyrule. They came out of nowhere. Twi was used to the slow progression of storm clouds that released a steady thrum of rain. This Hyrule wasn’t like that. The sky could be clear blue skies with a small sprinkling of clouds, like right now, and then a sudden pour down that made your bones and scars ache. This Hyrule was not kind to Wild even with its weather. Twi imagines Wild’s scars aching with each sudden change in the weather and not being able to do anything about. Not knowing what he could do about it. 

“The tablet...” Wild starts again, and Twi leaves his thoughts for now. Attentive in a second. “The story goes that after Mipha’s... death. They threw the Trident away. Grief and sorrow... they threw the Trident from the Domain and... Mipha’s spirit appeared before them. Begging them to not throw it away...”

Silence. 

“Could...” he had to word this careful. Couldn’t make his words seem like he was doubting; he couldn’t doubt with the life he had lead. “Could it have been a fantastical story?”

“It could have been,” Wild allows, not taking offence. “But, everyone who was present for the event is alive and well. Mipha’s soul existed. She helped me. It could have been a story to help their grief. It could have been very real.”

“Did... does the Tablet say why she appeared? Why she didn’t want the Trident thrown away?” Twi asks, weary even as he’s saying it.

“The Lightscale Trident and I are one... Abandon your grief and know joy once again. Do not cry...just remember,” Wild says the words monotonous. As though reciting them word to word from a book in front of him. He gives him a heart-breaking smile. “For a century they’ve used the Lightscale Trident and the day Mipha... died as a celebration. A celebration of remembrance and I broke that last thing they had. I broke the Trident that was one with Mipha...”

“Did they ask for it back to celebrate again?” Twi asks and because he knows avoiding the topic could stop them from reaching a conclusion he adds. “Did they want it back, because you broke it?”

“No,” Wild laughs, laughs at the insinuation. “The Zora King, Mipha’s Father, assures me Mipha would have rather the Trident broke saving people than it just being left to collect dust. Sidon, her brother, just- he suggested I leave the fixed Trident at Zora’s Domain. That I shouldn’t have to go through so much guilt over breaking a weapon. Assured me Mipha had moved on. Assured me that a weapon was useless if it wasn’t used in battle. They’re so kind and accepting even when I keep making them lose the things that were most precious to Mipha. To them. I just-”

“It’s not your fault,” Twi says into the silence of Wild’s suddenly cut off confession. “Things break. We lose people we love. That’s never your fault.”

“I- I know. Sidon wouldn’t let me leave until he drilled that into my head,” Wild laughs and it sounds a little wet this time. As though those unshed tears were finally reaching capacity. 

“He sounds like a good friend,” Twi hums. 

“He is,” Wild snorts, a little amused sound that only he would understand. “Very encouraging.”

A feeling of contentment settled over Twi. Glad in the assurance that maybe this Hyrule hadn’t been all bad to Wild. That maybe this Hyrule had given as much as it took... Looking over the empty plains that spread before them Twi couldn’t help but note that it... probably hadn’t really given as much as it took, but... at least it had given Wild something. Something was always better than nothing. 

“I left it with them,” Wild says the words again, as though trying to get the story straight in his own mind. “And... it is a relief. I was always so scared I would damage the weapons. That they’d be irreparable. That I’d lose the last connection to my past. But, I’m glad that it’s gone now. Glad. I... I don’t think I have a right to feel glad. I don’t even remember them... am I really allowed to throw them away like this?”

Wild turns to Twi now. His eyes watery in a way Twi has never seen. Wild is vulnerable and Twi won’t say meaningless words. No empty reassurances. He’ll say the truth. His truth. He needs a second to think on it.

He looks out at the world before them. Thinks. 

The closest person he lost was Midna. There had been some close calls here and there, some temporary loses, but Twi had the chance to bring them back. To chase and hold on tight once he had them back in his hands. But, Midna. He lost Midna. Lost her for good. Before he could even figure out what they were. Allies? Most definitely. Friends? Sure. Lovers? There... was a hope. A hope that had been crushed as Midna had destroyed the one path between their worlds. Twi had no way of getting to her and that hurt. But, would he cling to her forever? Would he want to forget?

He wouldn’t forget. He’d never want that. Those months of working together with Midna were some of his best. Maybe not at first, at first they were miserable and tense, but the more they experienced together; the closer they became. It was wonderful. He’d never want to forget her, but if he did? He’d... Probably cling to any memory he could; like Wild. But... if he thinks of Ilia, his dear friend that had lost her memory, she hadn’t remembered anything until she was given the horn. She would have been memoryless for her entire life, knowing there was something she had forgotten, but no idea what it was. If his memory had gone like Ilia’s he may have been searching for decades. Blindly hoping to remember, but... there was nothing left of Midna in his world. If he lost his memories of her; she’d be gone forever.

The thought makes his stomach ache. Makes his heart ache. His chest tight and unpleasant. He wants to throw up. 

He knows given the chance, with his memories intact, he would move on though. He’s not ready yet, the uncertainty and his emotions still so fresh. But, he would move on. The uncertainty though... the uncertainty would haunt him for most of his life he’s sure. The ‘what ifs’ and ‘maybes’ never having a satisfying answer and... 

Maybe that’s how it is for Wild? His loss of memories give him this uncertainty. This gaping hole in his chest and head that demands to be filled, but just... can’t. He wonders if Ilia’s memories never came back, she’d be like this. Wonders if she’d have to move on. Settle for what she grows to have instead of what she had. Twi had never thought of it back then, always sure (desperate) that she’d remember. She was his longest companion, his childhood sweetheart in a way. He couldn’t bear to be forgotten. For Ilia to have forgotten.

“I think...” It’s not a great way to start, he knows even as he’s saying it, it makes him seem to not care for Wild’s own thoughts. He keeps to it though. “Without your memories you’re always going to be unsatisfied. There’s going to be endless questions with not nearly enough answers. Assuming there are answers, but... A dear friend of mine. She lost all her memories, if they hadn’t come back I wouldn’t have faulted her. I would have wanted her to be happy... Even if she never remembered me. Even if she didn’t want me a part of her new life.”

“So you think I shouldn’t feel guilty?” Wild asks after digesting the few words of wisdom Twi could spare.

“I think you should be free to feel what you want. They’re your emotions and no one has a right to tell you how to feel. Just do what’s best for you and if you want to keep a memento or two there’s nothing wrong with that. Just don’t run your self ragged and rely on us, or your friends, when you don’t feel like you can go on,” Twi reveals a spherical red gem then. 

He had found it when he had been helping on the farm. One of the Trident’s gems hiding deep under the ground, probably crushed by the Lynel through their battle. Whatever the case it had avoided Wild’s frantic search and Twi had kept hold of it just in case. 

He keeps his palm flat. The gem glinting in the sunlight.

“If you want to keep moving on with no sign of the past around you we can throw this away now. Pretend you never saw it, or actively throw it yourself. You can keep it of course, as a reminder, it’s not bad to have a reminder Wild,” Twi’s free hand tugs at the stone he made a necklace of. “It doesn’t make you weak to have a reminder. It doesn’t hurt to have a reminder. As long as you don’t let it take over your life.”

“Like I have been,” Wild sighs. Weary.

“I don’t know,” Twi says, he makes his voice as inquiring and light as possible. Trying to make the words reassuring. “When you woke up and Hyrule was in danger did you sit down and lament over your lost memories instead of helping fight off Ganon? When our worlds collided did you decide to ignore the problem to focus on yourself? Have you ever abandoned someone to focus on your lost memories?” 

“I delayed going to fight Ganon to find all the photos tied to my memories,” Wild grumbles. The words believed in and true, while a small shake in his voice spoke of doubt. Like he was listening, agreeing, to what Twi said.

“Side quests aren’t always bad. I... avoided some fights to help people with... some menial tasks...” Twi snorts, thinking of his own adventure. He’d do it all again as well, he’d go on more delays if he knew what Midna was planning. “I helped a girl collect bugs instead of dealing with Ganon. We can’t always be expected to be ready to fight. We need breaks, but that makes you feel bad right? Like you’re not trying to help everyone, right? Side quests help there.”

“Yeah?” It’s said slowly. Uncertainly. The voice of someone seeking assurance.

“Yeah. We could make this a side quest,” he shakes the hand still holding the gem out. “If you want to keep it. Could make into a necklace or something; it’s what I did.”

“I do know a jewellers,” Wild admits, his eyes staring at the gem. “She’d be happy to make me something; gives me discounts. Gerudo town.”

“I bet we could convince Purah to send us in that direction with whatever she’s discovered,” Twi tempts. 

Wild hesitates for all of two seconds, then reaches out for the gem. Jumps to his feet and heads off to Purah’s lab not too far from where they were sitting. Twi follows with a grin. 

“You sure the others won’t care about us misleading them?” Wild asks.

“Not the first dead end we’ve come across lately; not the last side quest any of us will take,” Twi shrugs, careless in a way he’s not inside (oh the Goddesses, he hopes Time doesn’t find out). 

Wild grins at him. If he had thought Wild looked more relaxed when he came back to Hateno that was nothing on this. Wild was completely relaxed; shoulders loose, brow un-furrowed. Completely at ease for once. 

“It’s hot,” Wild warns, his voice having this melodic tone to it. 

“I’ve been to Gerudo desert myself,” it was not his favourite place to go, but Wild doesn’t need to know that. There is one thing he’s curious about though. “So… I know what happened to the Trident, but what about the bow?”

“Revali’s bow is fine. I just have it on me...” Wild stops just outside of Purah’s home and lab. “I was... thinking of using it.”

“And if it breaks?” Twi asks. “Are you sure you’ll be ok?”

Wild stares down at the gem from Mipha’s Trident. “I... think I will be. Maybe I can do something like this for Revali’s bow when it breaks. I... want to move on. I think.”

“If you’re sure?”

One final grin. “I’m sure.” And they enter Purah’s lab, a mission of subterfuge on the horizon.


	2. Scimitar of the Seven Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The heroes journey across Wild's Hyrule to Gerudo desert. It's not as peaceful as Wild had left it...

No one questions Wild when he takes a few weapons from his house. No one asks why Wild leaves half his weapon mounts bare as they leave Hateno. No one verbally or signs their curiosity, but it is there. Brimming under Legend’s scrutiny, Warriors’ eagerness; Hyrule’s naivety. It’s there. Waiting for a chance to explode. But none of them will verbalise it. Only one tiny exchange happens; far from Wild’s hearing.

“Will he be alright?” Time asks; memories of just the other day, when Wild lost one of these precious weapons, close to mind.

“He will be,” Twi assures. Complete belief in their wild friend. “He’s trying to work through it.”

Time hums and leaves it be. His lack of actions speaking louder than any words. He trusts Twi’s judgement on Wild completely. He trusts Wild’s ability to pull through completely. It’s heart-warming really. Twi struggles to not smile for days after that.

Of course that is just one small interaction between two of the nine heroes. Six were left to wonder and speculate on Wild’s sudden change of opinion towards his weapons. Of course they never spoke their speculations aloud. Left them to fester. To collaborate.

It didn’t matter either way. Whatever they thought about Wild’s attitude change it would completely leave them when they reached Fort Hateno. Wild’s Hyrule was far more alarming than a change that could be for the better.

(Or the worse. They hadn’t seen the reason for such a change or the result from the change yet. It could be for the worse.)

...

They left Hateno with a few jovial goodbyes and a few lofty promises to let others know Hateno was doing well. They leave Hateno with a plan.

“So Linky- and other Linkies,” Purah had gestured to some graphs and readings that meant... absolutely nothing to any of the heroes. “I may have found something for you, but it’s all rather,” she makes a gesture they think is meant to mean ‘so-so’, “unusual.”

“Well, we’re used to unusual at this point,” Warriors grins.

“Ohhh,” Purah giggles; clapping her hands. “Good response! Good response! Like a truly radiant knight!”

“Well, I am kno-”

“Alright lover boy stay on track,” Legend teases, physically pushing Warriors aside. “So, what does this mean for us?”

“I’m glad you asked,” Purah snaps her fingers towards Legend. “What it means is there have been similar readings to the Sheikah slate’s transportation in the Gerudo region and seeing as the only one who could be giving off these readings hasn’t been in the Gerudo region recently.”

“You haven’t, right?” Hyrule mutters to Wild, quiet enough that Purah can go on a little digression about how interesting this change is.

“I haven’t been to the Gerudo region in a while,” Wild sounds guilty as he says it, shuffling awkwardly on his feet. “The only area I’ve transported to recently is Zora’s Domain.”

“Umm,” Time hums, showing he was listening in to their conversation and Purah’s prattle. He speaks up. “How exactly do these readings work? There’s no way they could have been confused with Wild’s recent teleport?”

Twi forces himself to be calm. Not letting his muscles tighten. Not interrupting with an exclaim of guilt. He can’t physically stop a bead of sweat running down his neck, but that’s covered by the fur he wears. No one will notice that. No will notice their ploy to get them to the Gerudo region.

“Ohhhh! Another good question,” Purah slams her hand against the readings she had been showing them. They looked like squiggly lines. Something a three year old could draw. “We use a machine to keep track of earthquakes around all of Hyrule; got to keep everyone safe from natural disasters after all, but I’ve discovered that shrine usage can be picked up by this same machine.”

“Wait... are you saying the shrines are giving off the same tremors as an earthquake?” Wild sounds alarmed. Understandably; he had been using the shrines’ teleportation without a concern for the consequences. Didn’t know there were any consequences to be aware of.

“Well the Sheikah tech’s source is buried deep underground,” Purah explains. “So when it’s activated all that tech underground moves to power the tech aboveground, causing small tremors.”

“Enough to cause an earthquake?” Sky asks and looks absolutely horrified.

“Of course not,” Purah dismisses. “Well... there was that time Linky activated all the towers at once, that caused a lot of shaking across Hyrule, but that was because all the Sheikah tech was activated at once. It shouldn’t cause any problems like that again.”

“Yeah, only shake the ground enough that it can be read on something designed to track earthquakes,” Legend says. Sarcastically.

“Exactly!” Purah jumps. “It’s a delicate machine; noticing tremors even we won’t notice! Any more questions?”

“Actually yeah,” Legend narrows his eyes. “If you can trace where these tremors are coming from can’t you track Wild’s movements?”

Wild startles. A full body thing that has him actually jumping and trying to steady himself. He really was learning a lot today. All it took was him and Twi planning a diversion…

“Not exactly. I can tell roughly what region Linky’s in, but these readings don’t give an exact location and Linky rarely takes the normal path to and from locations. He’s rather hard to track,” definitely sounds like she had tried to. Probably for research; all of them can tell how obsessed she is with it only after a week of knowing her.

“So you don’t know where these- tremors? Disturbances?- are coming from exactly?” Swords asks.

Purah giggles. “Nope! I also don’t know exactly what they are- they could be nothing!- but if you’ve been jumping through time and alternative worlds without preamble something similar to Linky’s teleportation could be tied to it.”

“Could it not just be a small earthquake?” Hyrule asks.

“No way! Gerudo desert doesn’t get earthquakes!” Purah shakes her head.

“It doesn’t?” Twi can’t help but ask; all he can think of is his own Hyrule. The Gerudo desert he walked through was cracked apart like the earth had been torn away on multiple occasions.

“Nope! If it did it wouldn’t be a Molduga breeding ground,” everyone stares at her. Even Wild. “They’re these big monsters; Linky’s fought some before, and even the smallest tremor has them breaking out from the ground. They wouldn’t survive in a land wrought with earthquakes.”

“So… Gerudo desert?” Time questioned and Twi barely repressed his sigh of relief; Wild barely repressed his grin. Side quest here they come.

But first. They leave Hateno behind (Wild with his strongest most cared for weapons). Purah gives them a wink and a grin on their way out and they’re walking. Walking for days.

Wind and Sky who aren’t used to walking for _that_ long tire in hours. Swords is next to tire. Hyrule following not too long afterwards. Warriors and Time say nothing, but Twi can tell they’re in need of a break (at the very least a five minute breather). Twi’s doing fine. Legend looks like he can carry on for days. Wild keeps running off; foraging off the beaten path without any preamble. In other words Twi has never seen him so energetic before.

“So what kind of monsters are we expecting to see on this journey,” Warriors asks on the first night. They’ve stopped at a little outcropping of rocks near the path. They’d seen many rock formations like this around (each with a campfire pre-set; a place travellers choose to rest they assume); the area’s surprisingly mountainous. No one else’s Hyrule has quite so many peaks to worry about.

“For now bokoblins and moblins. When we reach Fort Hateno... that might change,” Wild grimaces as he cooks their meal.

“Might?” Warriors raises a perfectly manicured eyebrow.

“There’s... a few more monsters hidden in the plains there... if we stick to the path we should hopefully avoid them. And if we avoid them it’ll just be bokoblins and moblins until we reach the entrance to the Gerudo region. That’s where it’ll get harder,” Wild explains.

“Harder?” Wind asks, a little too eager.

“A Hinox guards the only entrance and the path it too narrow for us all to pass, plus we’ll be on horseback, so-”

“Horseback?” Hyrule asks and... they didn’t really discuss their plan of getting to the Gerudo desert did they?

“Of course, we can’t walk it. It’ll take us almost a month to get there by foot,” Wild explains, pulling out his map. “Just past Fort Hateno there’s a stable. I have six horses, Twi’s got Epona and there’s some wild horses I can wrangle up nearby. So after that it’ll be a breeze to get to Gerudo desert.”

“Can’t we just teleport?” Twi does not enjoy Legend’s suggestion. He hates magic. “You’ve used it once already; wouldn’t it be quicker to teleport over?”

“Quicker? Sure. Safer...” Wild looks queasy. “Zelda and I... we’ve experimented with the teleportation a little and one person can travel fine; two people though made the teleportation a little haywire. The two of us were sick for weeks after that experiment. We haven’t tried with more than two for that very reason. If we all teleport...”

Right. They’re not risking their lives for quickness. “So a Hinox?”

The first night traveling is spent with Wild explaining how treacherous the path to Gerudo desert is. How there’s lizalfos camouflaged everywhere. How enemies have made homes on the cliff edges so they can push boulders on un-expecting travellers. How the weather will sway from too hot to too cold without a care for the inhabitants of the world. How they need to be prepared. Cautious.

The words are registered. Welcome. Yet it isn’t until the night of the second day they understand.

Other than other people’s fear and the overabundance of nature nothing has seemed odd in this Hyrule. So it was larger and greener, none of the danger they were expecting was there. A lot of emptiness that came with implications, but no actual damage. Until Fort Hateno.

Fort Hateno was barely standing. A large stone gate that was crumbling to the ground. They spent the night at the Fort. A campfire with a traveller that was eager to share the story of the Miracle of Fort Hateno. How a hero had died there a 100 years ago. Defending Hyrule against impossible odds. How all those seemingly immovable statues (Guardians. The creatures that took Wild down a 100 years ago) that spread around the bottom of Fort Hateno had been taken down by the hero. That without this miracle 100 years ago Hateno would have been destroyed. Hylians would have been wiped out.

“You know I was told about the Miracle of Fort Hateno many times and had no idea that hero was meant to be me,” Wild looks amused (a self-condescending type of amusement. The kind of amusement none of them want Wild to have to live with). “Probably because that’s not what actually happened.”

“Oh?” Legend pipes up; always too curious for his own good. “What happened?"

“That’s where I died,” Wild admits. “The ‘hero’ that destroyed all the Guardians was Zelda. The ‘miracle’ was her powers awakening. Hyrule would have been destroyed if it wasn’t for Zelda.”

There’s not enough information for them to dispute it, so they’re forced to remain silent. Forced to let Wild belittle himself. But, they doubt his words. There wouldn’t be legends of his prowess against the Guardians if Wild hadn’t been good enough against them. There had to be more than Wild knew. There had to-

“I thought you said you don’t remember your death?” Wind asks; a pout on his face.

“I don’t. Not really. All I remember was going to cover Zelda from a Guardian’s blast only for her to protect me with that golden light. I think I collapsed after that, because that’s the last memory I have before waking up 100 years later,” Wild shrugs.

It makes the night a heavy one. Everyone worried over Wild and the field beyond. It makes sense why they’re settling in for the night on the opposite side from the Guardians even if there’s still some daylight hours left when they‘re ready to turn in. It makes sense why a few curious heroes go roaming amongst the lifeless Guardian corpses when no one’s paying attention.

Wind, Legend and Hyrule wonder amongst the rubble. Legend scouring the area for anything; these creatures were built so strong there had to be some remnants of magic left around. Hyrule’s eyes gleam with interest as he jumps on every single Guardian husk; his sense of adventure burning bright. Wind just stares at each Guardian wondering; how did Wild fail? Ganon was beaten; so how’d he fail? Why did Wild have so low an opinion of the Kings of Hyrule if he worked so closely with them 100 years prior? What did everything mean?

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that when three heroes are left on their own; disaster strikes. Look what happens when there’s only one of them. Three of them was only bound to increase their chances for trouble. And increase their chances it did.

There are two indicators that something’s going to go wrong. The first is the high pitched whine of machinery. A noise that would’ve alerted anyone of this Hyrule that they needed to run as fast as they were able. None of these heroes are from this Hyrule and even if they were the sound doesn’t register over their joyful banter (Hyrule bumping into Legend’s shoulder claiming he’s trying to ‘steal’ what is rightfully Wild’s).

The second indicator is a beam of red light. To those of this Hyrule that is a beam of death; an assured end. To those not of this Hyrule it was still a pretty good sign that you should run for your life. (They only notice the beam because Legend turns to Hyrule, planning to shove the other hero away with a scathing remark. He ends up fully tackling the hero to the ground and just in the nick of time).

A powerful laser of blue passes over their heads. The heat as it passes is dizzying.

An explosion that continues to echo long after it has finished disintegrating the Guardian husk behind them. Their ears ring.

“What was that?!” Hyrule yells, barely hearing himself over the ringing.

“What do you think?!” Legend shoves Hyrule over even though he was on top of the other hero. “A Guardian!”

“But, they’re out of commission!” Hyrule sounds frantic. Disbelief trailing along his every word. “The Miracle!”

“Wasn’t so miraculous!” Legend scoffs.

In their argument, or maybe following the familiarity of their own battles where there’s time to stand back up even when you’ve been knocked down, they don’t notice the second red light. Wind does. He calls out to them, but it falls on deaf ears. Barely able to hear themselves over the ringing, there was no way they’d hear him a few metres away.

Wind runs, pulling his shield out. A shield he had since his journey began. A shield his Granny had reluctantly gifted him when he went to save his sister. His first adventure. He pulls out the shield that had treated him so well on his journey. Jumps in front of the laser and holds steady with his shield.

Wind knows in a second why Wild considers himself a failure. The single blast from the Guardian is devastating. He can feel the heat through his shield. His shield that had seen him through difficult fights. That had survived Ganon. That sturdy shield groans under the assault.

The attack can only last seconds. It feels like Wind strains for hours. His hand aching from gripping the shield so hard for so long. It is only seconds and the blast pushes him back hard (right into Legend’s defenceless legs). It is only seconds and Wind’s shield buckles from the attack. The Guardian’s laser grazes Wind’s arm. The flesh burns.

“Ahh,” Wind cries out.

His arm is already blistering. A horrid red that alarmingly looks like Wild’s scars (how many blasts hit Wild? How did he push through the pain of the first hit? How did he survive?).

He kind of hears his name being called. A distant thing that doesn’t quite pierce through the ringing of his ears or the stinging pain from his arm. He definitely feels the pull of his arm (painfully pulling away the flesh of his blistering arm) and the thud of the ground against his back.

Another Guardian blast goes over head. Legend doesn’t thank the Goddess, but it’s a near thing. He was shielding Wind’s body with his own after all. He was a hair width away from being hit.

The Guardian charges its beam again. An endless onslaught. A never-ending attack. There had to be some kind of break. Everything took a break at some point and yet-

Three blasts without hesitation. Three blasts they’ve barely survived. The fourth would surely kill them. Would surely-

Wild dives in front of them, armed with a colourful shield (its reds and greens mark it as one of the precious shields that had been mounted on his wall). Wind tries to call out. To tell Wild it won’t work; that he’ll break another sentimental item that way; that he’ll gain another scar; that Wind doesn’t want to see Wild hurt like that. Never again.

The words get clogged up in his throat. Hidden beneath all the pain. He wants to tell. Wants to help. All he can do with lay in Legend’s arms and watch on. Watch as Wild is about to lose something important once again. Watch as Wild gets injured only...

Wild doesn’t.

His stance is sure. His eyes never stray from the creature before him (and he must be terrified. He had died to these creatures. He had died in this very field against these creatures. He was going to die again!). The blast comes forward, aimed directly at Wild and Wild- reflects the beam back at the Guardian.

One reflected Guardian laser is all it takes to take the creature down. The Guardian twists and turns, sounding like a dying clock. It explodes. One last attempt on their life. They’re all too far for it to affect them.

Wind turns to Wild to apologise for the shield only. The red, green and gold shield sits whole against the older hero’s arm. Not a scratch or mark against its surface. Wind stares. Wild’s equipment never lasts. It always breaks and-

Wind looks down at his splintering shield. It’s cracked down the middle; crumbling in on itself. It wouldn’t be able to protect anyone anymore. It was broken. His first shield. From his good old Gran. Something he cherishes and-

He slaps himself (and the sting from moving his arm was more painful than the slap). He can’t get sentimental here. They had been in an unexpected battle. They needed to make sure everyone was fine first. Shields can be replaced.

Legend had lightly bruised his side from all the sudden ground throwing he had to do for both Hyrule and Wind. Wind’s arm is obviously injured (and thankfully there’s a potion left over. Wind could barely think through the pain). Hyrule is fine. It’s odd how Hyrule and Wild are the most unscathed from this little fight. They’re usually the most injured, but...

Wind observes Wild. It’s not for lack of skill. Wild is very skilled; Wind couldn’t hope to imitate that thing with the shield. It’s almost like Wild let’s himself get hit; is willing to take those hits for everyone else. That he’s been trained to take injury upon injury. Maybe the muscle memory from the Miracle of Fort Hateno makes him take the hits. Maybe he knows no better. What Wind does know is Wild is no failure. A failure would be someone who hadn’t learnt how to defeat the Guardians that had destroyed them once before. A failure wouldn’t be standing here now. A failure wouldn’t be this strong and courageous.

Wild is no failure and if this fight had done one thing for Wind it was give him clarity. Wild thinks he’s a failure because of the expectations put upon him. The expectations that came with being a hero. Wild was expected to fight this impossible number of Guardians and survive. It was an impossible goal at the time and that had led to a temporary failure. Expectations were what cost everyone. After all look at Wind, he had expected his shield to survive a Guardian blast. His shield never had a chance.

...

Wild doesn’t sleep that night. He’s caught up in his despair over Wind’s arm, his self-hatred over not properly forewarning the others; his naivety in believing the others wouldn’t wander off in curiosity. He’d become too complacent. Weak. He needs to make sure the others don’t get hurt again. And...

He picks at the shards of Wind’s shield. Chunks had been torn off and Wild had collected them. The forager that he is. He needs to make sure the others don’t lose the things precious to them.

Wind had made an honourable attempt at appearing unfazed (and Wild was impressed; he hadn’t acted nearly as mature when Mipha’s trident shattered). But, Wild had witnessed a small moment of distress. Of Wind’s eyes stopping tears from shedding. He wouldn’t let that happen again. He wouldn’t let the others sacrifice anymore for Wild’s little side quest. If anyone was to lose something in his Hyrule he’ll make sure it’s him. And him alone.

He watches over the others that night and many nights to come.

...

Their journey to Gerudo is mostly uneventful after that. They spend the next day at the stables allowing Wind to fully heal and Wild (with Twi’s help) to gather two more horses. They also spend the day getting to know Wild’s horses (a moment that would forever be looked back on fondly was when Wild’s largest horse came out. The creature larger than any of them. A powerful mare. Swords, as the smallest member, had of course jokingly claimed this horse as his own for their journey. Wild took a picture of the smallest hero aboard the largest horse. A permanent reminder that’ll last an eternity).

Once horses were acquired the journey had gone quickly. Wild’s horses stuck to the path without prompting, Epona easily kept pace and with Time and Wild upon their newest horses their skittish natures were nearly non-existent.

All in all it was a pleasant journey. Even with the tension that rose from passing through ruins filled with Guardian corpses. The sight of a barren and destroyed Hyrule field (the black and purple scorch marks were particularly alarming; Wild had explained its where his final fight with Ganon had taken place and most of the damage had been healed but those final marks of their battle were stubborn). The heroes’ curiosity and courageous spirit having them ignore Wild’s warnings (sometimes for the more humorous outcomes such as Warriors introducing himself as the hero to a lady named Aliza only to be told he was not her type. Sometimes for the worse such as Hyrule entering the coliseum and getting everyone dragged into a gruelling fight). There was also one case of a falling boulder dismounting Swords from his horse and nearly breaking his leg. But, overall the journey had been pleasant even with the added danger and horror. Even the fight against the Hinox had been a bit of a reprieve. No empowered blood for a change. Thankfully it was pleasant, otherwise it would have been a long week.

A week. They were only just preparing to enter Gerudo desert.

“Now this is nostalgic,” Time says as he looks out over the desert. They’d spent the previous night at the stables (the nights too cold for traveling and the horses needing a place to stay as the mountainous range cut out to desert) and now they stood on the last outcropping of rock. Everything before them sand.

“Haven’t been to your Gerudo desert recently then?” Legend asks, his eyes scanning the horizon. There was a lot of sand... Legend had travelled deserts, but they’d never been this large. Wild’s Hyrule was really all about enlarging everything. Everything. Really.

“Haven’t had much of a reason to ride out there recently,” Time shrugs. He hasn’t had a reason to travel his Hyrule too much in recent years. A rare moment of peace. Not that it ever lasts long. Point in case; he was now traveling Hyrules of numerous eras with multiple heroes. “Haven’t had much of a reason to travel Hyrule in general.”

“You _are_ an old man after all,” Legend teases.

“That I am,” Time smiles easily before directing his attention back to Wild. “So how long is Gerudo Town from here?”

“Isn’t it that silhouette there?” Hyrule asks, pointing at a vague blob in the distance.

“No, Gerudo Town is two days from here. We’ll be stopping at the Bizarre tonight. It’s a market that allow Voe in and the half way point to Gerudo Town,” Wild explains, tapping at the Sheikah slate so he can let the others see the map.

“Voe?” Wind asks.

“Ah, it’s Gerudo. It’s vital Gerudo as well,” Wild explains.

“You can speak another language?! That’s so cool! What does it mean?” Wind’s eyes sparkle as he looks to Wild.

“I know a little and it means ‘man’,” Wild explains. Brushing off the impressive skill of being bilingual.

“And ‘man’ is a vital word in Gerudo?” Legend questions. Sceptical.

“It is for the Gerudo,” Time grins. “I remember sharing the tale of my time tormenting the Gerudo as they refused to let men into their encampment?”

The journey to the bazaar is spent regaling their stealth related escapades and Wild offering potions to help with the heat for the heroes who couldn’t stand it. The sand makes the journey slower than they want but they make it to the bazaar before the sun sets. They sleep in comfortable beds for the night and are greeted in the morning by a tall angry looking Gerudo.

“Link!” Her gruff angry voice has all of them bar Wild, the intended Link, on edge. It’s the kind of voice that a parent would grant a naughty child, it’s the kind of voice that begets a bar brawl.

“Buliara!” Wild calls out, voice filled with genuine warmth. “It’s been a while; I was planning on visiting you today!”

“I know,” the tall woman, and she is tall; taller than Time and taller than all the other Gerudo they’ve met, tightens her grip on her sword. A sword almost as large as she is. Definitely larger than Wild.

“Cub,” Twi says, voice low. Warning. He comes to stand beside Wild; not daring to leave Wild with a potential threat. By Wild’s reactions they must be... friends? But, Buliara’s reactions... well Twi wouldn’t be surprised if she swung her sword at Wild.

“Twi,” Wild grins at the other hero. “Let me introduce you! Buliara, these are a group of dear friends I’ve been travelling with recently. Twi, Time, Legend, Warriors, Sky, Wind, Hyrule and Swords,” he gestures to each of them as he introduces them. Other than Sky who manages a sweet smile and Legend who manages a mocking salute they’re all tense. “Guys, this is Buliara; she’s a Gerudo soldier and Chieftain Riju’s personal bodyguard... where is Riju by the way? You’re rarely seen without her.”

“Link,” the name is sighed out. Buliara would probably be holding a hand to her head if she wasn’t trained to keep a strong and rigid posture. “Were you planning on sneaking these ‘friends’ of yours into Gerudo Town with you?”

“What no... Well yes- maybe? It’s a little bit complicated,” Wild struggles to answer and Buliara just shakes her head.

“Find your words, little Champion. You can explain to the Chieftain yourself. She’s waiting for us at the lookout.”

Buliara turns and strides away; expecting to be silently obeyed. With a sigh of his own Wild follows; this would be but a short delay. He’d get to Gerudo Town eventually and when he does... His mind flashes to a red gem, almost as red as Mipha’s blushing hue, and his hands tighten into fists. He’s sure Isha could make something magnificent. If only he could get to her!

...

The journey to the lookout is much longer than Wild remembers it being. Maybe it’s because he’s traveling with a large group this time. Maybe it’s because there seems to be an increasing number of Lizalfos. Maybe it’s that they can’t get enough sand seals to help them across the desert and even if they could... well Wild’s not sure which of the other heroes would successfully balance on their shields... On the plus side the journey has allowed Wild to catch up with Buliara which has seemed to somewhat warm the other heroes to Buliara and vice versa.

“I see you’re finally using Urbosa’s scimitar and shield,” Buliara says; there’s pride in her voice and Wild rubs at the back of his neck. Embarrassed.

“Yeah... You were right I shouldn’t just leave it to dust...” Wild says quietly, not soft enough that the others don’t hear though.

“I thought you hadn’t been to the Gerudo region recently,” Legend question’s sceptically.

“Our little Champion hasn’t been here recently. It’s been... two months? You were last here with the little Princess,” Buliara gives Wild a pointed look. “Avoiding the topic at hand, I imagine?”

“A little,” Wild admits, pinching his fingers together to emphasise how small. “You just made a good point and... I wasn’t ready to listen.”

“Well, it’s good you are, I wouldn’t enjoy beating the idea into you. Urbosa would be proud to know her weapon was still being used to this day and it’s not as though the weapon hasn’t been damaged before. I can fix it for you,” Buliara scoffs, like the idea that someone wouldn’t use a usable weapon was shameful. Which is exactly how she felt and she had chided Wild for this very reason two months prior.

“You’re a blacksmith?” Swords asks; always eager to learn of new techniques (not that he was banking on anything too ground-breaking from Wild’s Hyrule... so far even the strongest weapons broke).

“I am,” Buliara nods her head in acknowledgment. “I usually only work on pieces for the Gerudo army,” and that was a hint if they’ve heard one.

“I’m not-”

“Swords is a blacksmith himself; hence the name,” Wild thankfully intervenes.

“A Hylian blacksmith? It’s probably been a century since a Hylian has even claimed to make a blade,” Buliara looks amused. “I look forward to seeing your work.”

“I look forward to showing it,” Swords says, never one to shy away from his achievements. And his smithing skills were an achievement. It took years of dedicated work to get to his level and he still found ways to improve on the daily.

As they had talked, letting the conversation flow easy after traversing the harsh sands and fighting electrical Lizalfos, they had reached the outlook. It had seemed like they were close for hours, the desert sun playing tricks on the horizon and their vision, but the sun couldn’t trick their ears. The closer they got the louder a voice became. Louder and louder until their feet touched stone; the sturdy material felt easily through their boots. It was a welcome reprieve to all the uneven sand.

“The Chieftain is... where she always is,” Buliara says, her voice both fond and worried as her gaze trails up. “You alone may speak to her Link, the others will remain down here,” the ‘watched by me’ was left unspoken but very much heard.

“Cub,” Twi was the first to protest, but Wild just grins at him.

“I’ll be back before you know it. Riju is great,” and he climbs up a rugged looking ladder. Twi watches, the ever vigilant guardian but dares not follow; Buliara was right there and... well he did believe in Wild. Knew his protégé was capable of so much... he tries his best to keep his worries at bay while listening in on Swords and Buliara’s conversation. He’s not sure he’s ever heard Swords talk so much and Buliara didn’t seem like the type to speak quite so freely. It’s quite a fascinating conversation... he’s sure. If he wasn’t so worried about Wild. What kind of character is this Riju?

Of course, Twi need not worry. Riju was a fair Chieftain with a wicked sense of humour. She also was a dear friend of Wild’s. They both knew they could rely on the other. Believe in each other. Share their deepest darkest secrets. They could relate with one another. Maybe it was due to the fact that they had both been given the responsibility of protecting others at the young age of twelve. Maybe it was the shared sense of humour. But, of all the great friends he’s made since his hundred year slumber Riju was, secretly, his favourite. Maybe that was why her agreeing with Buliara two months prior had stung (he was sure she’d be on his side, but if he’s learnt anything since traveling with the other heroes it’s that you can love someone and still disagree with them). Maybe that’s why he doesn’t feel an ounce of fear as he climbs the ladder. As he hears her voice get louder. He can only grin (for if traveling with the other heroes has taught him anything it’s that if you’re sincere in your apology then your friends and family will happily accept it. None of them would want to abandon you).

The closer he gets the clearer Riju’s words. He knew vaguely what they’d be before he heard them, but they still make him laugh.

“You could just go and watch over there you know?” Wild grins as his head pops over the ledge of the ladder.

“You know as well as I do how unbefitting that would be for the Chieftain,” Riju says. She starts to turn around to acknowledge Wild, but quickly startles and starts cheering.

Wild pulls himself over the top of the ladder and walks along the top of the lookout. It’s wooden and doesn’t feel like it should support their weight, but then a lot of things in his Hyrule feel like that.

“What? Supporting one of your culture’s most famous sports?” He asks, stepping beside her. She’s got a pair of binoculars pressed tightly to her face. He didn’t expect otherwise. “Definitely doesn’t seem like something a Chieftain should do.”

She shoves him with her hip, but doesn’t take her eyes off of the horizon. Wild lets them settle into their silence for a while. Enjoying Riju’s presence; really enjoying her enthusiastic cheering.

“So… Anything interesting happen?” Wild finally asks and that’s what makes Riju pull away from her binoculars to stare at Wild.

Riju’s small for a Gerudo, but then even though the Gerudo mature faster than Hylians she is still only thirteen. Soon to be fourteen. She is small and young and so fierce. Across her stomach, which her traditional Gerudo clothes leave bare, are scars. The red and black charred flesh shown with pride. She worries not for how others will perceive the burnt flesh… Though even that is a contradiction to the way her hair is intrinsically braided down her back and her lips are perfectly painted blue. She does care for what others think of her, just her worries are different from everyone else’s. She worries she won’t be a good leader. She worries others won’t trust her due to her age. She worries she’s too childish. It’s why she won’t let others know how much sand seals and their races excite her. It’s why she won’t grin without abandon in front of others. But, right now she grins over at Wild. Her eyes bright. Right now they stand high above the entire world. Not the Chieftain. Not the Champion. Just Riju and Link. They can be themselves.

“Tali almost beat your record,” Riju laughs gleefully. “She dodged around the rocks so skilfully it was like there were no obstacles in her path. Sadly she scuffed up the slope straight afterwards, thus you remain undefeated. You may want to think of improving your own time in case she does work out those last few hiccups. She could create a perfect run and where would that leave you?”

“Eagerly fighting for his title back, of course,” Wild grins. “No one thought I’d beat her record last time either, but I did.”

“After a disastrous fifty attempts,” Riju smirks. “I’m surprised they even let you attempt it the first time; you could barely control the seal. How we got Naboris to calm down I don’t know.”

“Perseverance?” Wild asks and Riju laughs.

“There was a lot of that... and desperation. A lot of desperation...”

A lot of desperation was putting it lightly. Their fight against Naboris was... it wasn’t pleasant. Although Riju had brought her best tamed seals along with her, Wild had fallen away from them constantly. Riju had her work cut out for her trying to keep pace with both Wild and Naboris. It wasn’t like trying to get to the other Divine Beasts... Wild can only assume he had zero experience from before his slumber when it came to seal surfing. Maybe that’s why he’s so proud of his accomplishments in Gerudo desert. Maybe that’s another reason why he and Riju get along so well. No previous memories to worry about.

“And you must be desperate now,” Riju continues after a moment of silence. When it’s obvious Wild does not know what else to say. “To bring so many Voe towards a town designed for Vai.”

“It’s complicated...” Wild says, because it is.

Riju’s smile is amused. Not a shred of anger over the entire situation. “Then explain.”

Wild does. He explains how the other men are all reincarnations of the hero’s Spirit, but how they’re all so different from each other. Explains how he’s been travelling through Hyrules in different timelines and different eras with this group. Explains how he’s really grown to care for them; how they’re like the family he can’t remember having. Explains how they’re trying to discover the cause of the time shifts. Explains how they were sent to the Gerudo region by Purah. Explains how it’s an elaborate plot by Wild and Twi so that he can get the stone from Mipha’s trident set into a necklace or something. Explains everything. The sun reaches its peak before slowly starting its descent before they finish talking. The sky is a painting of reds and purples by the time they’ve finished. They have an hour of sunlight at most.

“I can help give your lie some credibility and you can help me with a problem at the same time,” Riju laughs, a laugh that makes Wild think of bells.

“A problem?” Wild asks, instantly alert. “You don’t need to help with my lie for me to help. I’m always willing to help you.”

“I know and I appreciate that, but trust me this works out for the best,” she stands up and makes her way to the ladder. “Now we have some guests to entertain.”

“I... thank you Riju,” Wild says, standing up to join her.

“Your welcome,” Riju grins over at Wild. “And may I say? While the Vai outfit always looks fetching on you, the Voe outfit makes you look particularly handsome. Especially with the scimitar of the seven attached to your hip.”

Wild can’t stop the blush from spreading across his cheeks, he can only hope being in the sun all day can hide it. By Riju’s laughter as she descends the ladder he doubts that’s true. Wild’s never good with compliments, even if it’s a sentiment he agrees with... he does look good in the Voe outfit and... he does look good wielding the scimitar of the seven. It’s just something he struggles to accept and- He still needs to apologise to Riju for two months ago. Seeing her again, talking to her; it all came so naturally like nothing had changed. But he needs to apologise. Riju deserves an apology for him ignoring her for so long.

He follows her down. Determined to make things right before he’s sent to another timeline again.

He never really thought about how Riju would be perceived by the other heroes. He knows she’s strong, she’s able. He never second guessed her. Her age was meaningless to him. He assumes the same would be for the other heroes. He assumes it is the same for all the others seeing as none of the others mention it as they re-join the group. Swords and Buliara don’t even stop their conversation.

“I don’t see how adding gold to a broken blade would strengthen it,” Swords is saying. “If the core of a weapon is that flimsy, adding gold does nothing to help.”

“Kintsugi is a complex technique, much more viable than the technique you are suggesting. To have such a strong steel core is a waste of resources,” Buliara refutes.

“Resources that are in abundance,” Swords gestures towards the mountain ranges that Wild knows to be filled with ore.

“Only for those foolish enough to venture there,” Buliara huffs.

“There are a fair few Guardians over there,” Wild agrees as he and Riju approach. He doesn’t mind going for himself, but he’d never lead others there willingly. Too much danger.

“You never mentioned there were Guardians in the area,” Warriors says, his tone almost chiding.

“They’re not. They’re all the way up those mountains,” Wild gestures in the same area Swords did prior. “We weren’t going anywhere near that area.”

“We weren’t anywhere near Lynels either,” Legend points out. Snide as always.

“Lynels?” Riju asks, gaining everyone’s attention (if she didn’t have it in the first place).

"A Lynel attacked Hateno," Wild explains, half his attention is caught by the other heroes though. Time, Twi and Legend all have varying levels of realisation spread across their faces. Time an easy acceptance. Twi an acceptance that comes from familiarity not gladness. Legend a reluctant acceptance. Wind seems intrigued, though Wild can't say why (maybe being introduced to someone around his age from another timeline? Everyone he's met so far has been much older than him…). Warriors goes to speak only, thankfully, Riju speaks first.

"That is not good… Buliara we'll need to send some warriors up to the Gerudo highlands. See if any of the Lynels there are acting in an equally alarming way… Maybe don't send Barta. She had a knack for trouble," Riju orders.

"Of course, Chieftain," Buliara agrees, mentally making plans but not leaving Riju's side yet.

"Barta does always find the trouble needed though," Wild points out amused.

"But, she won't have you to pull her out of trouble time will she, Link? What with your current quest," she turns to Wild's companions. The group of heroes. The group of Links.

There's a mixed response. Warriors belatedly realising who was before them was standing at attention; years of training and etiquette forcing him to move into position. Sky looks endlessly confused, like he has all the dots but can't bring himself to join them together. Swords looks put out, but is too polite to mention it. It's a little… strange seeing any negative emotions (even minor negativity) aimed Riju's way. Riju is brilliant.

"Link has already informed me of your situation," Riju explains calmly. "Where I can't say there have been any reports of portals appearing anywhere there has been an increase of monster activity lately. The beasts are being more… daring as of late. We shall provide you a detailed report of their movements, though I do hope you'll help us cut down some of these packs. Our forces are being spread thin as it is."

"Of course we'll help," Time is quick to assure as both their pseudo leader and the eldest and most responsible hero. "Any information you're able to provide will be most welcome."

"You are a charming one aren't you?" Riju smirks, before linking her arm with Wild. "I can only welcome our Champion into Gerudo town so we'll steal him for the evening to provide you with the information needed, but the rest of you are welcome to stay here at the lookout post or we can pay for your lodgings at the Bazaar if that better suits your purpose."

"Wait you can't-!" Twi goes to argue only to quieten down when Time's hand clamps down on his shoulder.

"That's incredibly kind of you. Do you mind if we confer with Wild first? He knows more about the area than any of us," Time reasons.

Riju smiles, amused.

"Of course. Buliara let's leave our guests alone for some consultation. Remember our discussion Link," Riju gracefully moves off to the side to give them the illusion of privacy, Buliara quick to follow her Chieftain. Wild notes they've headed towards an area Sand Seals like to play.

"She's… the Chieftain?" Sky asks once they're alone.

"Yeah," Wild's quick to explain, maybe a little proudly. "Riju's a great Chieftain. Every Gerudo loves her and she's pretty hands on in helping her people. I wouldn't have been able to finish my journey without her."

"She's… a little young isn't she?" Swords asks, gently.

"Her Mother died young," Wild shrugs, it's sad and everyone would have preferred Riju's Mother to have lived a long happy life, but living in Hyrule meant one had to expect a short life span. Especially Wild's Hyrule.

"Could've given us some forewarning," Warriors says, nudging Wild's arm. "I would've shown my respects properly."

Wild shrugs. "I mean it's pretty obvious she's the Chieftain." The jewellery she wears is a dead giveaway.

"Back to our main discussion," Time cuts in amused. "What do you suggest doing here Wild? I'm not fond of us splitting up when we could be sent to another time suddenly, but it doesn't look like we're being given a choice."

"Weren't you able to sneak in before? Can't we just do that again?" Wind asks, eager. He always did love sneaking past enemies; he was good at it.

"We… wouldn't be able to do that," Wild admits, a little nervously before looking Time dead in the eyes. "If our little wolf friend was here though that'd be a different matter. They've let him into Gerudo town with me before."

"A shame he isn't here then isn't it?" Legend says, rolling his eyes.

"How does this wolf work? He seems to pop up on our journey constantly and popped up on Wild's. Do you think it's possible a wolf can travel through time?" Hyrule questions. Swords snorts.

"Whatever the case," Swords says, trying to hide his amusement and cover his previous snort. "He's not here right now."

"If he was here would it even count as being partnered with someone? A wolf is an animal," Legend points out, purposefully stressing the animal.

"It would be better than being completely alone," Time points out before turning to Wild. "So you'll go alone unless our friendly wolf turns up?" Wild nods his agreement. "Would it be best for us to stay here or go back to the Bazaar?"

"If I leave some supplies with you guys it'd be best to stay here. Sand storms can pick up really easy around here and we don't want to be separated due to one," Wild picks up his pack, taking out potions for the heat and the cold. Taking out food; both food that didn't need to be cooked and food for cooking if they felt like experimenting (Hyrule was a great cook after all). Last he left some wood and flint to start a fire; nights in Gerudo desert were harsh and cold. "Right I'll be off then. I'll be back tomorrow morning."

"Alright, safe travels," Time nods his head accepting the new fate ahead of them.

"And don't be a brat!" Twi adds to which Wild can only grin.

"Me? A brat? The Gerudo love me, how could I ever be a brat?"

So they temporarily part ways. Wild heading off towards Gerudo town with Riju and Buliara and the other heroes settling in at the lookout. Wind rushes up the ladder to the peak of the lookout surveying the area with his telescope, Hyrule and Warriors soon to join him. Legend explores the inside of the place, while Swords tries to convince Hyrule not to cook. Sky has found a great place to nap and was resting. Time and Twi are somewhere off to the side and if at some point Twi disappears and a wolf makes itself at home beside the party travelling towards Gerudo town no one makes the connection.

…

Gerudo town was as bustling as always. The marketplace busy even with the blanket of stars above them. There's a wariness in the air though, a wariness that reminds Wild of when the town was under threat of the divine beast. When Naboris was rampaging.

"Be careful Link," Riju warns as she hands over the documents she had prepared. "I wasn't lying when I said these monsters seem smarter than before. They've even tried attacking the guards in ways intended to either catch them off guard or out endure them. They've never gotten so close before."

"Alright. You be careful too, no need to risk your safety just to secretly watch the sand seals race," Wild teases.

"It was for more than watching the sand seals, it was to check on you too!" Riju lightly slaps his arm, before grinning. "I'll bring you your necklace when it's ready and if you're sent to another timeline suddenly I'll keep it safe until you return."

"Thank you," Wild smiles, a truly joyous smile. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'd have long since fallen to a lightning strike; we're all aware. Now get going," Riju waves him off. "And make Urbosa proud; end all that would bring us harm!"

"Of course," Wild grins. "See you in a week!"

They, Wild and Twi as a wolf, leave Gerudo town with minimum fuss. Wild is accosted by a man swearing his love and loyalty to Wild who he affectionately calls 'Miss Boots' and the second Wild can take off his Vai outfit and Twi can transform back into a Hylian Wild is relentlessly teased. Other than that it's a pretty relaxed journey. Neither encounter any monsters or enemies, they'd enjoyed their time around Gerudo town, their side mission basically completed and they got to race back on sand seals. Wild was surprised, and impressed, by Twi's shield surfing skills. He never knew the other heroes knew how; they never struck him as the type to abuse their shield in that way.

They arrive back at the lookout as the sun is rising, painting the sky is reds and oranges. There's cheering; cheering that proves to be Wind as he jumps down the ladder with stars in his eyes.

"That was so cool! Teach me!"

"Information first, I'm sure the Cub has plenty to tell us."

And so for a week they seek out all kinds of enemies. Slashing down large bulking skeleton monsters that have taken to hiding in the shadows of daylight, taking out electrical chuchus that more cunning enemies have started using as a distraction (a devastating distraction, if Hyrule temporarily being paralysed and losing his sword is anything to go by) and the lizalfos… the less said about the fast monsters the better. They still hadn't found the cause of this sudden tactical side to the monsters, but they were all concerned.

"Monsters only act like this when they're being led," Warriors commented, wiping his sword of his latest victim. The blood is a bright red; uncontaminated. A new threat?

It's not all business though and Wind has really taken to shield surfing; even if he's had to borrow a shield from Wild to actually do so, even if he ends up eating sand more often than not.

That's how Riju comes across them a week later. Wind face down in the sand, Urbosa's shield precariously embedded beside him and Wild mid cheer looking unabashed. Riju smirks holding her hands to her hips.

"He's never gonna learn how to professionally shield surf with you teaching him," she chides. "You're all instincts; dreadful for teaching."

A day is spent having fun. Riju teaching the others better than Wild could ever dream to. The heroes learn how to best travel the desert even if some keep to the side (“I’m too old to keep up with you lot,” Time laughs when prompted to join in). It’s a moment of levity to help destress after a week of never-ending fighting. It’s a moment of false joy. A moment they would grow to resent in a few moments (a moment they’d relearn to love a couple days later).

“So, have you had any luck?” Riju asks, tucking her legs beneath her as she sits beside Wild.

“Found a lot of monsters if that’s what you’re asking,” Legend snorts.

Warriors barely represses rolling his eyes as he straightens his posture; the image gives Wild a sense of Deja-vu. “Ma’am we’ve scoured the areas you’ve provided for us and have vanquished the foes that lay there, only the fighting has given us more to worry about. These monsters are not acting alone; they’re being guided by someone.”

“By some _one_?” Riju inquires. “Not some _thing_ or another _monster_ , but some _one_?”

“I… on my adventures I’ve encountered many who have been able to rally troops with monsters. It is hard for a monster to command troops and when they do it is usually in smaller amounts; not to mention they’d never be able to plan as well as we’ve seen this past week,” Warriors dutifully relays.

“Demons have the capability to lead monsters though,” Legend points out. “Demons can also manipulate humanoid races to do as they wish.”

“You think a Demon could have been leading the monsters we’re after?” Wind asks.

“Could be,” Legend shrugs, “but it could be a number of other things. You’d be surprised by the number of things that have risen to lead monsters throughout my adventures.”

“So Gerudo Desert is being besieged by…?” Riju trails off, hoping for one of the heroes to fill in the silence.

The silence remains. Everyone glancing at each other.

“We don’t know..?” Wild admits, failure a familiar burn against his tongue.

“I see,” Riju nods, quick to brush the bad news aside no matter how worried she clearly is. “I thank you for fighting off the monsters you have over the past week. We had our suspicions that the Yiga were at fault, but there has been no movement from within their camps.”

“Wait. No-”

Their discussion had been happening around a campfire. A campfire that fed them warmth in the chill of a late evening in the desert. A campfire that they had continuously kept alive with wood Wild had left for them. A campfire that had been tampered with.

Each hero had a way of sneaking around. Each hero had learnt to hide in plain sight. The Gerudo were descendants of the most notorious thieves; where it was not their way now they still knew how to hide and steal. None of the people present were prone to the high levels of alertness needed for constant surveillance. None of them were going to be on high alert after a day of fun. After tearing through enemy camps for a week. They should have. The past week had alerted those that would see them finished of their activities. A day of mucking around had led their enemies to them. And the enemy knew how to live a life of constant surveillance. The enemy had observed. The enemy had plotted. The enemy had acted.

Amongst their conversation the enemy had snuck in. The enemy had tampered with the wood the heroes idly threw into the fire. Tampered with the wood that kept the fire alive. The fire that kept them warm.

As Wild opened his mouth. Words filled with surprising knowledge about to be relayed a small piece of wood was thrown into the flames. A small piece of wood covered in powder. A small piece of wood that upon contact with the cackling flames blew up.

The lookout exploded.

The sound of the lookout shattering was said to echo all the way back to Gerudo Town; all the way to the Bazaar. Children cried out, fear that Naboris was back and rampaging again. Guards were shocked into a higher alert than they ever had before and the few Guards that saw the dark black clouds in the distance ran in fear. All aware of exactly who had been at the lookout. All aware of their precious Chieftain heading in that direction just earlier that day. When the Guards would finally scramble their way to the lookout they’d find nothing. Nothing but blood…

Blood and charred remains.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter for the second weapon's destruction got a little TOO long so I split into two parts XD Luckily I had the perfect cliffhanger half way through to leave you guys with! I'll post the next chapter next week, so you don't have to wait too long to see Wild lose another weapon!
> 
> Also sorry for the long wait for this chapter and I hope the chapter meets your expectations, I kinda feel like it's all set up but like 9000 words worth of it XD But, I just had so many ideas floating around and this is what happened when they all clashed together!!!! What do you think will happen next and how do you think the weapon will get destroyed (there's hints all throughout this chapter >3)??? Also! Also! Also! Thank you for the lovely comments last chapter (and thank you, you lovely people who pointed out the spelling mistake for Lynel. I have no idea why I made that mistake when I KNOW it's spelt Lynel XD)!!! Anyways...
> 
> See ya next week x


	3. Scimitar of the Seven Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The heroes and Gerudo fight for their lives.

Wind wakes with a groan. His head aches. He swears he can feel his brain rattling somewhere in his hard skull. He blinks his eyes open and winces at the light. His head is pounding.

"Fuck," he bemoans, pulling himself to sit up. It takes him awhile to orient himself. His mind slowly chugging along and maybe his brain isn't in his skull anymore, maybe it's fallen and tucked itself somewhere deep in his throat.

He's in a stone room. Wooden structures spread across the room, not that he can get a clear image of them; his vision is blurring and he's trapped behind bars. It's sadly not the first time this has happened. It's sadly becoming a little comforting waking up behind bars. Oh. There's also Riju. That's a little unusual. He never wakes up with company when he's been locked away.

Riju has her back to him, her hair is in complete disarray. All the golden trinkets that had looked quite charming had been pulled away; if some tuffs of stray hair were to go by they were taken none-too-gently. She crowds around the door, her hands busy with the doorknob as she peers into the keyhole.

Wind feels like flopping back to sleep; even if sleep would be on the oh-so-comfortable stone…

He gets up. Stumbles over to Riju.

"What are you doing?" He asks as he peers over her shoulder. She jumps. Turning around to face him, her face flushes red and she holds a hand to her chest.

"You're awake! Good! Great! I mean-" She coughs a little, straightening her posture. "I mean it is good to see you come to, I was unsure of your wounds…"

Her eyes trail to the side of his face and he pats the spot. His hand coming back with blood. Ah. Maybe his brain had left him altogether; that was a lot of blood.

"I'll be fine. I've gone through worse," and he had. Even the wound he sustained over a week ago was worse than this; Guardian blasts were dreadful. He doesn't know how Wild coped with that.

"It does not matter if you've gone through worse! You're clearly not fine!" Riju snaps, stomping her foot. It's such a Tetra like moment that Wind just smiles. He likes Riju.

"You're right. It's not fine. I've woken up in prison again, I don't know if my friends are ok and this fucking headache is killing me, but I can't do anything about that yet. All we can do right now is find a way out; old prisons like this always have a lame escape route. Have you found it yet?" Wind asks and Riju stares at him. Gives him a hard long look, like she's wondering how she'll prepare his body for the autopsy.

She smirks.

"Well I'm not sure if it counts as a lame escape route, but I've figured out how to pick the lock to the door. Only problem is any bobby pins I could've used to successfully open the door have been taken," she gestures to her hair. "Do you have anything I could use?"

And yes. Wind does. Of course he does! He's been adventuring with pirates for 2 years now, he knows how and where to hide things. His boots alone have five untouched bobby pins Riju can use.

He grins. His head aching just a little bit less.

\--

_When the explosion had gone off Wild had covered Riju's body. He doesn't know quite how he knew to cover her, only that those instincts she had teased him for had kicked in and his body had fully covered her. The heat and pressure that hit his back was dreadful but nowhere near the worst he's dealt with. The explosion probably wouldn't even scar. Probably. The way his arms had scraped along the floor probably would have scarred if it wasn't for his arm guards. A gift from Urbosa all those years ago… a gift he remembered being given. Zelda had told him all the Champions had given him a gift. Urbosa’s was the only one he remembered; probably because he rarely took the arm guards off. Probably because they saved his life time and time again._

_Whatever the case Urbosa had saved him now and she’d continue to save him. He unsheathed his sword (went to unsheathe his shield as well, but it was with Wind. He’d make do; Wind needed the protection more than him)._

_“Link! What is going-” Riju’s question is cut short by the need to cough. The air around them filled with smoke. Wild brings the edge of his cloak to her mouth. Protecting her as best as he’s able._

_“I-” he coughs himself. “I don’t know. Only-”_

_He brings his sword up. The sound of metal clashing with metal chimes around them. It would be deafening if the explosion hadn’t made hearing so gosh darned hard. Wild has no idea where the others are. They were sitting beside him moments ago and now he has no idea all he knows is-_

_He pushes back against the pressure on Urbosa’s sword and hears a grunt. The sound of shuffling feet lets him know another attack was imminent. He places Riju behind him, she instinctively clings to his waist, and prepares himself._

_“This is a Yiga technique.”_

\--

“So where to now?” Wind asked, creeping behind Riju. Shoulders tense. He hates fighting without a weapon.

“I am not sure,” Riju admits, looking around the sparsely decorated room and corridor beyond. This is not like the Yiga’s usual hideout. They were usually grandly decorated and always prepared for a celebration; this was more… dungeon looking. More what one would actually expect of the Yiga than what one got. “I’ve overheard some conversations while I’ve been in the cell and I’ve seen some movement, but…”

“It is kind of hard to tell what’s going on stuck in such a small room,” Wind agrees easily. Not disappointed by the lack of information. If he’s honest sometimes being thrown in jail gets you to a more advantageous position. He had found many treasure chests hidden in prisons.

“Yes,” Riju agrees. “I wish I could provide more information, but…”

“Its fine,” Wind grins, taking the lead. He sneaks to the entrance of the corridor, peers around the corner. There’s nothing down there, but well… that didn’t always mean it was truly empty. “What did you hear?”

“It was mostly useless prattle; the Yiga like to gossip and share recipes for bananas, but I did hear something useful. Link… ugh, I mean the Link of this time- Our Champion, is at least safe,” Riju’s pretty proud to have discovered that much; she’d grin but, “I can’t speak for the others in your party or Buliara though.”

“Hey! That’s plenty of information! If Wild’s alright I’m sure the others are fine! Wild is the more… accident prone,” Wind grins, before gesturing to the pathway before them. “What do you think? Think it’s safe to move on?”

Riju glances ahead. The shadows seem to flicker. The pathway seems to be empty.

“Li- Our Champion said the Yiga are quite obvious in their patrolling; simple to follow patterns. If there are none here, we should be fine to proceed and it would be best to do so now before they do send someone to check on us,” Riju relays and they slowly move down the path.

They keep low to the ground, hoping their small stature will allow them to blend in with the shadows. There’s nothing to hide behind if a Yiga clansman does turn up and Riju swears they’re being watched. She believes it to be paranoia, but there are small slits in the walls, small enough for an arrow or dart to shoot through. Small enough to end their lives instantly only their lives aren’t at risk. Not for now. Not while they still have purpose. Not while-

“What did you mean by ‘Wild is more accident prone’?” Riju questions as they make their way to the end of the corridor. The path splits into two paths and there’s a light flickering at the end of one path. They take the other.

“Well, he just is?” Wind shrugs, keeping his pace steady. “He’s always injured after battle, more than anyone else, and I’ve never seen someone get harmed by their own bombs before.”

“Our Champion isn’t accident prone,” Riju disagrees, because she has fought beside him; she has fought with him; she has heard of his adventures and Wild has never been anything but a sturdy strong presence. “There have only been two scenarios where our Champion has been harmed and that’s when he’s been protecting someone else or he’s been taken by surprise.”

Wind stops, glances both ways to make sure they’re alone. They really shouldn’t be talking; they’re defenceless and there’s nowhere to hide, but honestly that’s never stopped Wind from talking to his companions through tense situations like this before. It reminds him of sneaking through the Forsaken Fortress with Tetra berating him through the pirate’s charm for his every blunder as though she wasn’t at fault for the first blunder.

“Wild…” Wind starts, then stops, then narrows his eyes and carries on. “Wild says he failed 100 years ago. We came across the last battlefield he was a part of while traveling here and… I’ve been thinking about it. Wild is strong and he’s very skilled. The only time I’ve seen him get injured is when he messes up one of those fancy techniques of his. He’s- he’s too clumsy for those kinds of techniques, he’s better for brute force fighting, but he always uses those techniques and messes them up. I’ve only seen him succeed once and that was when he happened upon a Guardian the other week. What if the reason he di- failed 100 years ago was because of messing one of those techniques up. What if it was that clumsiness that made him ‘fail’?”

“Our Champion isn’t clumsy!” Riju narrows her eyes. “I can’t speak of 100 years ago; Link doesn’t like to talk of it and if he speaks of it around Zelda she refutes everything he says so I’m not sure how reliable he is to speak of the past, but Link now? He isn’t clumsy. I’ve never seen him falter. I’ve never seen him miss a hit like you claim. Our Champion is strong and skilled and if he misses an attack there is a logical reason for it. He is not clumsy.”

“Then why is he constantly getting hurt?” Wind pushes a hand through his hair; agitated. “Why is he constantly in pain? I hate seeing him like that!”

Riju goes to reply, but her eyes widen and she quickly grabs Wind, pulling him closer to her; just out of range of the sword that came out of nowhere. They both stand up quickly, turning to face their new adversary.

“It’s so wonderful to hear you brats care for that dreadful hero,” the Yiga member says. “Assures us he’ll race here to defend you; assures us you’ll be loud enough in your disagreements that you won’t escape.”

They’re defenceless. No weapons. No equipment. Nothing.

Riju grips Wind’s hand tight, tugs him back towards the area they’ve come from with only one thought on her mind.

“Run!”

\--

_“A Yiga technique?” Riju had dealt with the Yiga clan her whole life and she’d never seen this. They’ve never attacked like this._

_“The smoke,” Wild coughs, but doesn’t let his guard down. The Yiga tries to take advantage of his failing lungs but he holds fast. Coughing directly into their face as he parries the hit. “It’s the same smoke they use to cover their escape. Do they have a new leader?”_

_“Not from what we can tell. The Yiga have been more scattered of late. No obvious direction. The only problem we’ve had is the monsters,” Riju relays, her words never faltering even as Wild picks her up and pulls her out of harm's way._

_“The monsters…” Wild trails off, grunts as he counters another hit. “They probably have something to do with this. Let’s… Let’s get out of here first…”_

_Wild coughs and Riju feels concern. So, much concern._

_“Yes, let’s.”_

_As they rush through the smoke filled room they hear other clashes. Riju can only assume its Wild’s travel companions and Buliara. Her guard nor the heroes would fall so easily to Yiga trickery. Even if they must all be hurting from the Yiga’s explosive entrance._

_Once Riju’s brought out from the lookout’s smoke filled room she gasps in a deep breath. She feels like coughing the small amount of smoke she breathed in out of her lungs; she can only imagine how bad it was for their Champion. She turns to him and-_

_“Link!” She yells, aghast at the amount of blood she sees._

_He laughs. “Don’t worry about it. It’s just a scratch.”_

_“That is not-!”_

_Her words are cut off as Wild pushes her out of the way. As a weapon flies over her (where her head had been seconds ago) and pierces Wild’s shoulder. He yelps, sword falling lifelessly from his hand._

_“Link!”_

\--

Riju leads them back down the corridor they came from. She runs without a care of how frantic she appears and she doesn’t let go of Wind’s hand (who knows what he’d do to protect her; those dastardly hero types). They avoid the turn that would lead them back to the cell (that would only lead them to a dead-end). They take the unknown path.

Their Champion had always told her walking the path untried led to great treasures…

\--

_A sword swung out from the clouded remains of the lookout tower. Catching the Yiga clansman that strolled out of the explosive remains unaware. A small figure dashed out afterwards, catching Wild on his way down._

_“You alright there?” Swords asked. Concern brimming from his every muscle._

_“Fine,” Wild grins, standing as straight as he’s able. “Just caught off guard. How about you?”_

_“Nothing a day’s rest won’t cure,” Riju doubts the blood trailing down his forehead will heal in a day, but doesn’t dispute him (these hero types!). “Any idea what we’re dealing with?”_

_“The Yiga, expect sneaky underhanded techniques,” Riju informs, picking up their Champion’s fallen weapon, not leaving Wild to explain the Yiga. He’d probably describe them simply as ninjas, even without the foreknowledge if the other Hyrule’s had ‘ninjas’._

_“As though the Gerudo weren’t founded on underhanded techniques,” a Yiga clansman yells, rushing out of nowhere as they’re known to do. Riju parried the blade directed towards her with Urbosa’s old weapon. “You Gerudo are a disgrace; you should be the ones begging for Lord Ganon’s return.”_

_“No, we should not,” Riju grunts as she keeps a tight hold on the weapon in hand. She feels more than she sees the two heroes coming beside her to help push the Yiga away. The Yiga member temporarily disappears into a cloud of smoke. The three of them keep an eye out, covering each other’s blind spots._

_“You have a great stance with that weapon, better than Wild here,” Swords praises, sounding surprised. Riju refuses to take offense. Of course she can wield a weapon. Their Champion’s stance was fine._

_“Hey! My stance is fine and Riju’s great,” their Champion defends them._

_Riju smiles._

_“That’s not what I’m saying- whoa!” Swords grunts under the blow of the Yiga clansman’s sword and then before any of them can comment there’s a barrage of arrows shooting down at them. Reinforcements. Great._

_Wild pulls them all back into the smoking building. The Yiga’s blade nicks Swords on the way back in._

_“What now?” Swords coughs and Wild is silent. A silence that speaks of a plan. A stupid plan. A plan that will work. All their stupid plans work._

_“What do you need me to do?” Riju asks. Eager._

\--

The corridor they had avoided initially had a flickering light at the end. The flickering light had led them both to believe that either a guard was patrolling the end of the corridor or that the corridor led to a room that was used more frequently. The light was still flickering, but that was unimportant. Behind them they had a determined Yiga clansman hunting them down.

Anytime they thought they had managed to escape the guard (as though they could truly escape the guard with the paths being narrow with no hiding spots) a red cloud of smoke and fire appeared beside them. Each cloud of smoke and fire represented the Yiga teleporting to keep up with them. They couldn’t slow down. All they could do was run. So, that’s what they did. They ran.

And ran.

And ran.

_And ran_.

No signal claiming their escape had been sounded from what they could tell (it surprised Riju, Wild had told her the Yiga had set alarms off for even the smallest mouse that entered their hideout). Riju wouldn’t complain about their small amount of luck.

They broke past the flickering light into a large room. A room that held no exits from a cursory glance. A dead-end? Another dead-end? Was their only exit the way they had been forced to flee from? Did they need to try and sneak past the Yiga clansman that blocked their way? What should-

A cloud of red smoke and fire appeared beside them.

Riju couldn’t say for sure how the Yiga clan’s technique worked. Couldn’t say if the Yiga could see them before they had appeared in the smoke and fire. Couldn’t say when the Yiga transitioned from their previous position to the position in the smoke and fire. All she knew was this could be their only chance to hide. Their only chance to find cover. Their only chance-

Wind pushes them into a barrel. They fall to the bottom with an audible thud. A sound that had to have been heard…

Riju closes her eyes tight. Hopes for the best. She hates fighting without a weapon.

\--

_Riju had never seen the other Champion’s weapons. She heard of them for sure. An elegant spear, a handmade bow and an incredibly powerful hammer-sword. She had always wanted to see them, give her a more informed image of the Champion party in the past; give her more insight of the people Urbosa had travelled with. She never got the chance to; before their Champion had saved Hyrule interactions between all the races of Hyrule was sadly limited and then when Hyrule was safer to travel Wild had them all. Wild had left them to dust on his walls._

_Not anymore though. Not anymore._

_He had trusted the Scimitar of the Seven to Riju and in return he had revealed the Boulder Breaker. Amongst the smoke it was hard to get a proper view of the massive blade, but it towers over Riju. Towers over them all. It’s not an inconspicuous weapon, but Wild doesn’t need it to be inconspicuous._

_The gear design along the blade doesn’t initially make Riju think of the Goron tribe until she thinks of the ores found there. The mining done to continue discovering valued resources. The Gorons provide the means to further technology; they’re an invaluable cog in the ways the world works._

_It’s impressive and Riju can’t keep her eyes from the blade or the man that wields it. Exactly as Wild had planned for._

_Wild dashes out of the smoking room once again. Draws the attention of the Yiga. Arrows are sent flying and a quick spin on the heel of his foot knocks every single arrow out of the sky. The Boulder Breaker is large and strong; simple wooden and stone arrows were never going to be a match for the Goron’s pride and treasure._

_Wild keeps the barrage of arrows away. Never faltering. Never falling. Sweat flies from his forehead, but he keeps it up. Never stopping. Their plan demands it._

_“Come on,” Riju hears Swords muttering, “come on…”_

_She looks over at him and he’s tense. His hand grips his blade tightly. His knees bent; distributing his weight perfectly. Eager to jump in. His jaw is clenched. He’s eager to jump forward. Eager to join the fight._

_“Our Champion is fine,” Riju assures him, she had seen him do far crazier things. She had joined him in doing far crazier things. “He will not fail.”_

_“Yeah…” Swords doesn’t sound like he believes her. She’d argue, but she has her own job to focus on. She has to make sure that no one interferes. Wild’s distraction is far too important to be interrupted by someone none-the-wiser._

_Wild fights for what feels like hours and Swords is tense beside her the entire time. She doesn’t let her defence down. Squinting through the smoke and flames for anything. Anything-_

_A shadow appears. A large bulky figure. A figure that could put the Goron’s pride and treasure to shame. Perfect. She nudges Swords’ side and gestures towards the hulking figure. Swords tenses further. Tries to hide himself and Riju further into the smouldering building. They can’t allow the figure to see them. To know they’re being observed. To know they’re being observed is to know they’re falling for a trap._

_The figure holds a blade parallel to the ground. The blade is long and slim. It’s jagged and in a certain light seems to move like a snake. The sharp edge of the blade sure feels like it stings like a snake’s venom filled bite._

_The way the figure holds the blade slows their movements, makes the moment the Yiga clansman leaves the flames seem all the more menacing. The blade is held to charge a certain move, a move that is directed towards Wild the second The Yiga member clears the flaming rubble._

_The ground erupts beneath the blade. The ground suddenly chased after Wild. Riju doesn’t understand how the Yiga create their techniques, but she knows this blade uses the wind to enhance attacks and magic. This move will send a large pocket of air erupting from Wild’s feet when it reaches him._

_The ground moves, chasing the Champion down. Riju wants to call out, but she knows she can’t. If she does it ruins their plans. If she does it means she doesn’t trust her Champion. If she does it means her worries cloud her judgement. She knows the Champion will dodge the attack like he always does. She knows he can do this. Just like they planned._

_Swords doesn’t though. Swords doesn’t know Wild as well as she does. Swords doesn’t know the weapons and attacks of this Hyrule well enough. He goes to call a warning and Riju covers his mouth. Blocking any sounds as the ground tearing apart reaches Wild’s feet._

_There’s a terrifying moment where it seems like Wild is going to be eaten by the sand around them, but then he pulls out his glider and is sent flying towards the sky. High, high above them all he soars. The wind pushing him higher and higher and then when the earth shatters beneath him, sending sand and rocks upwards he’s far out of reach. Out of harm’s reach. Until the arrows are released again. He returns his glider to the Sheikah slate and dodges them by landing on the fractured earth._

_“What the hell was that?” Swords mutters, it’s mostly muffled behind her hand, but Riju gets it. The wind could be a trusted ally or a devastating foe. The wind could bring searing punishments. The wind could bring death. The wind could bring hope…_

\--

They’re not discovered. Not right away. The Yiga that had chased them had slowed their gait. Looking around. Searching. Riju doesn’t hold her breath; that would be foolish; it would announce their presence to everyone, but it’s a near thing.

The Yiga passes them by muttering about needing to alert the others of their escaped prisoners. It worries Riju that their escape hadn’t already been announced; Wild had informed her that the Yiga clan’s hideout had a system of bells to alert others of intruders. If they weren’t being sounded were… they not in the Yiga’s usual hideout? Riju wasn’t sure she’d be able find the way if they weren’t in the usual hideout. Were they even in the Gerudo desert? Why did she have to fall unconscious on the way here?

Her side is lightly prodded and looking to Wind he gestures for her to shift over. It’s a rather odd thing to witness. Wild knew Hylian sign language and had taught Riju a few words, but Wind somehow didn’t need sign language to be fully understandable. His facial expressions and body language so expressive she just instantly knew what he meant.

After quietly shifting to the side, she could see why Wind had asked her to move. There was a small hole in the side of the barrel. Wind peered through the hole; his gaze surveying the entire room quickly. He turned back to her gesturing she should stay before quickly lifting himself out of the barrel.

She wasn’t often of the mind set of leaving the work to others, but she could see how unwise it would be if they were both to sneak around. If they were both sneaking around there was a higher chance of being spotted. A higher chance of them both being captured. Neither would risk it, so instead she watched through the small hole in the barrel.

Wind snuck forward. Easily keeping from the Yiga’s view. It was impressive, especially when one took into consideration the fact that the Yiga had masks that completely covered their faces. There was no easy way to discern where the Yiga was looking, but somehow Wind was able to do so and keep from it.

The room wasn’t filled to the brim with items and objects to hide behind, but there was enough to make it difficult to be discovered. Wind crept around each item. He was a ghost, leaving nothing by a gentle breeze where he once was.

He reaches the other side of the room easily, even mockingly sticking his tongue out at the un-expecting Yiga as he managed to get past and ahead of their enemy. Riju barely suppressed her chuckles at Wind’s antics, but she held strong. Not giving anything away.

Wind made it to a group of barrels on the other side of the room. A bunch of barrels that hid weapons. Numerous weapons. Enough to arm a small army. That was worrying. But lucky.

There were small circular weapons, an abundance of bows and large wavy blades (there was also a frightening amount of Gerudo made blades). The largest sharpest blade found Wind’s hand and it was like he was made for the blade. His eyes sought out his un-expecting prey and with both hands tight around the blade he aimed. He prepared. The wind seemed to pick up around him, making his hair and shirt drift in the breeze. Where the breeze was coming from… Riju had no idea.

\--

_Wild runs wide, making the large Yiga turn slowly to keep him in sight and then the Yiga clansman, slams his sword forward, making the earth crack forward against the wind’s pressure once again. Wild turns running straight into the flaming building. The wind follows._

\--

Wind swipes the sword forward and a large gust of wind pushes forward. The wind is stronger than Riju’s ever seen this sword create before. It breaks stone and wood alike and it sends the Yiga that has been chasing them hurtling into the wall opposite Wind. Close to Riju.

\--

_The plan had been simple. Wild would distract and attack the Yiga until one of the larger and stronger Yiga clansman appeared. The larger the Yiga the more likely they’d carry this particular weapon. Then Wild would use the wind to clear the smoke and the fire. As Wild ran into the room, their plan had succeeded. The smoke and flames would part soon. That’s where everything went wrong…_

\--

They didn’t really have much of a plan to be honest. Wind had seen something that was worth the risk of being caught to go to. Riju trusted his judgement and it had been proven a sound judgement only… The Yiga that had chased them could teleport and one hit wouldn’t be enough to knock a member of the Yiga out…

\--

_See the thing about clearing the room for everyone meant everyone was clearly in view. While the Yiga (and there were a fair few of them; at least twenty) were now obvious to the heroes they fought, it meant the heroes were easier targets. Injured targets as well, what with the first blast of the fight._

_Buliara was frantically looking around and taking out any that got in her way. Wind was barely able to keep the hits at bay with the shield he had borrowed from Wild. Sky was covering for an injured Warriors. Hyrule was being backed into one corner. Time was fighting outside alongside Twi. Legend was nowhere to be seen. Wild was above, taking down the archers who used the height to their advantage. It left Swords and Riju with the big guy. Normally that wouldn’t be so much of a problem only… the two of them really didn’t fight in sync. They kept tripping over each other and slowing each other down. Maybe the both of them were just too used to fighting low to the ground that they didn’t know what to do without cover from above…_

\--

Riju jumps out of the barrel. She raises her hand high in the air.

“A sword!” Is all the command she gives but Wind still throws her a blade like they had discussed this prior. She catches it quickly.

She knees the Yiga in the face as she approaches them. They fall to the ground, groaning. Still not out cold. The Yiga were hard to take down. She brings her sword down.

It’s quick. A swift strike against the Yiga’s neck, the smallest slither of exposed flesh and then the body slowly struggles to its death.

\--

_She can’t recall how it happens mind you. Not completely. But, some when while fighting the Yiga she finds herself out cold. Knocked unconscious by the large figure. She wants to blame Swords and the way he wasn’t adapting to her fighting style, but she does remember him being knocked out before her._

_She had tried her best to keep him safe before going down herself._

\--

“You alright?” Wind asks as she stands up straight.

“Of course,” she smiles before striding over to the weapons in the room. “There’s a lot of weapons here. A lot of them Gerudo. The Yiga have been collecting them…”

“Were there reports of missing weapons?” Wind asks, joining her quickly in shuffling through all the weapons.

“Not any more than usual. Weapons destroyed in battle, the odd weapon lost on a patrol; nothing to this extent…” Riju hums as she goes from one weapon to the next. “Either they’ve been taking those few weapons or they’ve come across a hidden stash.”

“Couldn’t they have snuck through Gerudo town?” He asks and Riju wants to laugh.

“No. Gerudo town is one of the most secure places in Hyrule. They couldn’t have gotten in unseen no matter how sneaky…” She sighs as she picks up a discarded Scimitar before discarding it herself.

“Alright,” they both continue like this in silence. Both searching fruitlessly through weapons.

The scratch of a weapon against a weapon.

The drip of thick blood pooling on the floor.

Their harsh breaths calming down at last.

“We aren’t going to find a way out of here?” Wind hums.

“Not without being suitably armed,” she discards another sword. Wind shoves a spear to the side.

“There’s plenty of blades,” Wind holds a shield up to the torch light before discarding it. Riju throws another sword away.

“There are.”

There’s a few tense moments where they continue searching before Riju sighs, turning to Wind.

“Li- Our Champion lent me the Scimitar of the Seven. If the Yiga have been taking weapons, it wouldn’t surprise me if they brought it with them,” Riju explains and Wind doesn’t think he’s ever seen someone bashfully swing a sword in the air, especially after killing someone, but Riju does. It’s completely endearing.

“Wild… also lent me his shield… that colourful one? Green, red and gold? It-”

“It’s Urbosa’s old shield. Daybreaker. A fine shield; that we can’t leave in the hands of the Yiga,” Riju smirks and Wind grins back.

“Of course!”

It doesn’t take them long to search throughout the room and be sorely saddened by the lack of sword and shield, but they don’t give up. It’s either here, nearby or with the other heroes before they were dragged here. They won’t give up.

They pick through the discarded weapons and continue their way through the hideout. They are less cautious than before, but they still remain low to the ground. Sneaking through the hideout and taking out enemies before they were caught. There are a lot of bodies left behind them, but they’re both safe and getting closer to their goal.

They haven’t found the entrance and the cave structure seems full of dead-ends, but each dead-end leads them to finding more items. One room is full of gunpowder. One room is full with rupees. More than one if full of weapons. They find the shield in one room. The sword in another. Wind’s actual sword is in another room. Their accessories and items in another. That room was interesting; coming across Wind’s Deku leaf being used by the Yiga clan before they reclaimed it.

They had everything now. Well… almost everything. They hadn’t found the exit and they hadn’t found their allies. While Riju was glad none of them had appeared captured in here like they were, Wind was cursing about being the only ones captured. She understood it though; it was annoying to be thought of as weak enough to be considered harmless while being considered valuable enough due to their connection to Wild.

They’d shown them wrong though. The Yiga were slowly but surely being destroyed by the two of them.

“Do you know how big their hideouts usually are?” Wind asks as they reach another dead-end.

“No… though they may have some secret passages we’re not finding…” Riju grimaces. “Our Champion explained how the Yiga had hidden passageways everywhere, though… this doesn’t seem like their usual hideout.”

“Well… if we find any suspicious looking rooms,” Wind takes out a large hammer. It stands as tall as himself. “I can take it down.”

“Let’s look!”

It takes them longer than either are willing to admit to find a secret passageway and even then the first one they come across just has bats behind it and the next one (which was a flimsy piece of fabric that Wind burned down with relish) just had a simple green rupee behind; they were making progress... Neither would admit it took two Yiga walking in on their snooping to discover the correct way forward, but that’s what it took.

Freedom was both a blessing and a curse.

“Thank the Heroines we’re still in Gerudo desert,” Riju stares up at the sky; completely and utterly distracted by the beauty of its clear blueness. Had they been there for days? How long since they had been amongst friends?

“There’s Wild and Wolfie!” Wind cheers; looking in the direction Wind pointed her to, Riju can see the two of them. It’s a breath-taking display as always.

Wild’s pet wolf runs in large arches, mauling any that get in its way. The beast is fast and impressively strong. Wild is an unstoppable force. Time seems to stop for him as he rushes from foe to foe; ending the lives of the Yiga that don’t choose to flee. It’s so impressive the two of them can’t help but stare.

“I told you our Champion never faltered,” Riju says and can’t keep the I-told-you-so attitude out of her voice (how childish of her). “Our Champion is amazing!”

“Yeah… yeah he is…” Wind answers, but he doesn’t sound as excited as her or devastated at having been proved wrong. No he just sounds… lost, and that’s strange. That’s very strange…

They stand on the cliff above Wild and his fight. They watch as the hero of this Hyrule fights. The Champion of this Hyrule has it covered and it’s impressive to watch no matter how one is feeling.

\--

When the Yiga had faced the facts they were losing against the heroes even with the element of surprise and the other party already injured they had retreated, but not before taking a few hostages. Riju, Swords and Wind had all found themselves at the mercy of the Yiga before the heroes could intervene.

Buliara had charged off, chasing the Yiga down without consulting anyone. Wild had whipped his Sheikah slate out with every intention of teleporting off by himself.

“No you don’t!” Twi had all but tackled him to the ground. “You’re not running off alone!”

“I can cut them off!” Wild had argued, but Twi hadn’t relented. Hadn’t let go.

“Not on your own!”

“The Pup is right,” Time had walked up, pace slow; hiding his limp. “You can’t go alone Cub. Teleport with Twi; the rest of us will follow on foot.”

“But teleporting with more than one person-”

“We’ll be sick. Getting the others back fast is more important,” Twi’s eyes are so serious Wild can’t disagree. He’s always found it hard to say no to Twi, even back when he thought he was just an animal. It’s those damn eyes!

They plan it out. The other heroes’ planning to head to the Yiga’s usual hideout by foot (it’ll be long and painful, but maybe they’ll catch up with the Yiga on the way). Twi keeps a firm grip on Wild as he teleports them both to the Yiga hideout.

Their body is split apart into hundreds of blue dancing ribbons before they’re reformed at the shrine behind the Yiga hideout. It’s freezing, the Gerudo highlands being the closest and easiest route back to the Yiga; the cold is completely ignored to their stomachs violently emptying themselves.

“That is a dreadful way to travel,” Twi grumbles.

“It’s not nearly so bad traveling on your own,” Wild insists, forcing himself to his feet and all but dragging the both of them towards the Yiga hideout.

There’s nothing there.

“What-?”

“Aren’t you glad you didn’t come on your own,” Twi is smug. Wild doesn’t get how he can be so smug after teleporting like that, but he ignores it as he watches Twi transform and sniff out the room. He transforms back quickly. “There’s no one here. There hasn’t been anyone here for a while.”

“What…?”

After a small discussion they decide they’ll have to teleport around more. The Yiga couldn’t have left the Gerudo desert. They just need Twi to catch a scent and they’ll be good to go.

The plan sounds easier than it actually is. There’s a lot of vomiting and then dry heaving, as their bodies disagree with being teleported together and an eventful encounter with the Great Fairy of the Gerudo Desert who makes them both temporarily feel so much better and allows them to stock up on some fairies. They eventually find a scent to follow; it takes forever though. Gerudo desert is large and the Yiga are surprisingly clever.

Twi in his wolf form leads them further and further away from Gerudo town and closer and closer to the Seven Heroines and the mountain ranges beyond it. The further they go, the more tense Wild gets. The Yiga have never hidden in this direction. There were Guardians patrolling this area. This… wasn’t safe. This wasn’t usual.

Still. He follows Twi. Trusts his friend will lead him right. Trusts they’ll find Riju, Wind and Swords safe. They’re all strong and amazing. They’ll be safe. They have to be.

The monsters they find are in larger groups than they’ve seen since travelling together. Completely unnatural for this Hyrule, but Wild uses the terrain to his advantage and Twi has always been more aggressive in battle when he’s worried. Twi is currently terrified.

They continue onwards. Getting closer and closer. Taking out all kinds of enemies and Wild has spotted the odd Yiga aiding the monsters, so he knows they have to be on the right path, only… Only why here? What’s going on in his Hyrule?

It’s Twi’s growl that alerts him to something being strange. He blames the heat from the sun distracting him from the obvious sight before him. Wind and Riju stand above them on a cliff. The two of them watching the carnage Twi and Wild are creating, the two of them completely distracted from the danger behind them.

Wild’s eyes widen and he ignores the monsters and Yiga around him to start charging towards them, taking out his slate. Hoping he’s close enough that the rune will work.

“Watch out!”

\--

They see when Wild notices them. They notice the way he charges towards them panicked. They notice him going through his slate. They notice his mouth moving; yelling something.

“What is he-”

Whatever question was about to be asked is halted by the ominous sound of machinery moving. Naboris is nearby, but not near enough to account for that sound. Wind and Riju both whip around and see…

A Guardian.

It hasn’t noticed them yet. They wouldn’t be alive if it had. But, it’s close enough to notice them. Riju glances down the cliff and… there’s no way they’ll be able to get down safely and there’s no way Wild can do whatever he’s trying with the Sheikah slate… They can only try avoiding the Guardian’s gaze.

Riju pushes Wind towards an outcropping of rocks and they hide to the best of their ability. Riju has never fought a Guardian. They never venture into Gerudo desert. She doesn’t know how far their sight goes. She doesn’t know how they fight. All she knows is they’re fast, they shoot lasers and they’re powerful enough to have killed Link all those years ago.

Her heart is racing.

“I…” Wind looks around as though terrified speaking will summon the Guardian. Riju is terrified that speaking will summon the Guardian. “My Deku leaf works like Wild’s glider… It only has enough strength to carry one of us… Take it and float down the mountain…”

“What? No!” She barely keeps her voice down. “I’m not leaving you alone to deal with the Guardian. We’ll fight it together and… it’s not like it’s any better down there.”

And it’s true. There’s a massive hoard of monsters and the Yiga are lurking about. Oh by the Heroine! What if the Yiga had worked out a way to control the Guardian? Why else would they have this new hideout so close to a Guardian’s route?

No- no, no, no! Panicking over speculation won’t help! She has to remain calm. They can fight a Guardian. Their Champion has on multiple occasions. Their Champion will be up to help them soon enough as well.

She tightens her grip on the Scimitar of the Seven. She has the Heroines on her side. She has Urbosa on her side. She has their Champion on her side. She has Wind on her side. She can do this. They can do this!

“I’m not leaving.”

“Alright…” Wind looks around at the Guardian carefully. “Alright… its weak spots are probably that eye and those legs… How do we get to it though? Those things are fast…”

“I believe hitting the eye will temporarily stun it, though… I’m not sure how long that will actually keep it down…” Riju relays information she’s heard. She wishes she knew how reliable the information is.

“Right… I have a bow… If I keep its attention on me do you think you can try cutting its legs?” Wind asks getting his arrows and bow out.

“I can certainly try,” Riju assures. “How many arrows do you have?”

“Eleven…” Wind admits.

“It’ll have to do.”

With a plan of attack in place they go forward. They have a plan. Wind climbs to the top of the outcropping; shoots the first arrow to get the creature’s attention. Its spindly legs don’t stop moving forward and its head turns to see what had attacked. The second it locks on to Wind, who waves at the machine, it moves towards him. The sudden change in direction doesn’t change its momentum. Doesn’t slow it down. It rushes towards Wind already aiming if the red laser is anything to go by.

Wind aims another arrow and Riju rushes forward. She’s never heard of a Guardian changing targets mid attack (then again she rarely hears of someone surviving the first hit, so why would it need to change target? Everything would be dead soon enough).

The arrow hits true and the Guardian’s head turns away. It’s charging laser beam disturbed. Its head re-orientates and as close as Riju is it even looks like the Guardian blinks a few times. It aims at Wind again, its beam charging.

Wind nocks his third arrow (his ninth remaining arrow), but Riju is close enough this time. She slices at a leg. The Scimitar of the Seven ominously clacks loudly against the Guardian. Ancient weapon against ancient weapon. A question of which will last longer.

The leg goes flying and sends the Guardian stumbling to the ground. One leg gone. Its beam is still charging and Wind doesn’t have a good shot at this new angle. He jumps off the stones just managing to avoid the stray shot sent in his general direction.

The Guardian turns its vision to the only visible enemy, or tries to. Riju runs underneath the Guardian’s hulking form. It’s hard to keep using the Guardian as a shield; the Guardian much faster than her short legs can bring her, but she continues hiding. She just has to keep it up for a few minutes. Just long enough for-

Twunk!

An arrow hits the large body of the Guardian. It bounces harmlessly off the metal and stone figure, but it does direct the Guardian away from Riju. The Guardian turns towards Wind, back on top of the stones, and starts rushing towards him. Away from Riju. So, they can definitely change target mid battle.

Riju really wants to take a moment to get her breath back. Wants to sit down and breathe, but she doesn’t have a choice or a chance here. She has to keep moving. They only have eight arrows left.

Another arrow hits the Guardian in the eye, knocking it off course for a second.

Seven arrows left!

Five legs left.

They have to be doing SOME damage to the creature.

Forcing her legs to move she whacks another Guardian leg with the Scimitar of the Seven. The leg goes flying off and the Guardian rolls a few feet away. Its other legs failing to grapple with the rock and sand around them.

Riju charges forward, taking advantage of the fallen Guardian while Wind prepares another arrow. Wind releases it after the Guardian starts shooting aimlessly from the ground. The rocks on a nearby cliff surface shatter with the hit and roll down the hill. If Wind’s arrow hadn’t hit, Riju is sure they’d all be trapped beneath the rock bed.

She reaches the Guardian just as it was orienting itself. She gets another leg and the Scimitar of the Seven makes a horrifying sound. Riju ignores the sound; she can’t panic here.

The Guardian is down to three legs and surprisingly with only half of its legs available does not go flying off in the opposite direction. It keeps itself standing and rushes towards Wind.

“Really?” Riju curses. How their Champion had dealt with hundreds of these on his own she has no idea. She must ask for pointers.

Wind shots one arrow off. Stops the laser; doesn’t stop the Guardians approach. Wind shoots another arrow. It doesn’t even hit the eye. Wind shoots another. Just stopping the laser in time. The Guardian doesn’t stumble.

It’s before Wind.

Throughout the chase Riju had been doing her best to keep up. Her legs ached beyond belief; running around the Yiga hideout for who knows how long while not having eaten in who knows how long after already fighting for who knows how long. There was a lot of uncertainty and they needed to keep this up for a little longer. She knew their Champion would be with them soon and she knows she can leave things in his very capable hands, but she doesn’t know when he’ll reach them. There was a whole Cliffside separating them and she has no doubt Wild is as exhausted as her and Wind.

She does her best to keep up with the ridiculously fast Guardian, because she has to do her part to help. She will always help their Champion to the best of her ability and she is rather fond of Wind. She’d rather he not fall to a Guardian. One hero falling was enough; never again.

She pushes herself past her dwindling reserves. Yells as she approaches.

Yelling was meant to help the ferocity of an attack. At least that’s what everyone always insisted.

The Guardian charges its beam. Wind shoots off another arrow. Delaying the inevitable.

How many arrows does he have left? Riju lost count somewhere in the Guardian’s unrelenting hunt.

( _Two._ )

She’s a few seconds away. Needs a few more seconds.

How fast does a Guardian shoot?

How fast can Wind?

The Guardian charges. Wind aims.

Riju strikes the Guardian’s fourth leg; swings as hard as she’s able. Her attention completely and solely on the Guardian. Narrowed down to this one enemy; the Guardian goes tumbling down. His laser uselessly firing into the air. Wind’s arrow uselessly sails in the empty Guardian shaped space.

Riju breathes deeply. They… they have to be wearing it down by now. It can’t be that strong. It can’t keep coming after them with only two legs…

Only it does. The Guardian’s head swivels around until it’s locked onto Riju. Its two remaining legs dragging it closer even if it could shoot from such a distance. Taunting her. Taunting them. Mocking their useless struggle.

Riju stands straight. Tightens her grip on the Scimitar of the Seven and prepares to attack once again. She’ll never reach it before it reaches her, but she has a duty to her people, to Hyrule; to her friends. She’ll defeat this creature.

An arrow (the last arrow) flies forward, striking true and making the Guardian glance away temporarily. In that moment Wind jumps down the rock outcropping and puts the Champion’s shield, Daybreaker, up in front of them.

“Let’s retreat for now!” He yells. Gently pushing them back.

“We can still fight,” Riju argues, her hand refusing to let go of her weapon.

“We can’t! We have to-!” The Guardian cuts off Wind. The laser connecting with Daybreaker. The shield holds fast, for now, but for how much longer? They need to defeat the Guardian, but… but maybe Wind’s correct. Maybe they aren’t prepared enough. Maybe-

“Riju!” Wind yells, forcing them both backwards. Back towards the rocks. It will only be a temporary hiding spot. The Guardian can still move. But, maybe they could use the rocks to hide, take out the other legs sneakily.

“Ok,” Riju agrees, moving back with Wind. The shield can probably only take another hit, but they’ll be safe. Safe for a little longer.

Urbosa would want her sword and shield to be used to protect someone. She’d want others to be safe. It’s a noble way to lose a shield. It’s doing its job.

She feels choked up. She feels tears well up in her eyes unbidden. Is… is this how their Champion always feels? So scared to lose these precious items. Some of the strongest weapons of Hyrule. Knowing deep within your heart that it’s the right thing to do, but the actual action of doing so just hurts.

She hates it. She hates it. She hates it! Why were they putting their Champion through this time and time again? He didn’t deserve to go through this! He deserved to be happy! To have a weapon that didn’t break! To have something he could hold on to without any backlash. To have something he can cherish.

She hates this!

The laser is charged up. Wind will protect them for one more hit. Daybreaker will last. They’ll see another dawn.

A Guardian laser charging is a strange thing. It glows a light red at first, aiming. Then a yellow trickle seems to pour out of its eye. Like the beam is trying to break free but isn’t quite strong enough. Then once that little beam glows blue it does break free and goes forward not leaving its path for anything. Not even an ally.

It’s blue. A sure sign that it will hit them, break the shield, only everything is suddenly yellow. The two legs are suddenly yellow. Its head and body are suddenly yellow. It’s yellow.

“Hide!” Their Champion yells, putting the Sheikah slate away and charging at the beast. The last two legs are taken out while its yellow and the two of them follow his orders.

When the Guardian stops glowing yellow the laser hits where they had been standing. It would have destroyed the shield. It would have destroyed something precious. It could have hurt them.

It takes Wild one strange looking arrow to end the Guardian’s life. It explodes into cogs and random metal parts.

Riju breathes deeply. Relief? Joy? Sorrow? She doesn’t know how she feels; all she knows is the hilt of the Scimitar of the Seven and how it digs so deeply in her palm that she feels she’s become one with the blade.

Wild rushes to their side.

“You alright?” He asks, kneeling beside Riju. Wind is sprawled out on the other side of her, breathing deeply; their hands intertwined. Comfort in its basest form.

“Yeah,” Riju assures even though she feels numb. She doesn’t think she’ll be able to walk ever again.

“I don’t think you are,” Wild’s hands are gentle as they pry the Scimitar of the Seven away from her hand.

Her fingers don’t release their grip even though she wants to let go. She wants to. This blade belongs to Wild now. To their Champion and how brilliant he is and amazing. And look! He took down that Guardian without breaking a sweat and-

“Riju. You’re safe now. You can let go,” Wild is so gentle and comforting and Riju just wants to fall into his arms. But, she doesn’t. She isn't that immature. She is the Chieftain. She’ll stand tall.

“I am,” Riju says; not meaning to sound contrary, but she can’t think straight. Maybe she was more injured than she thought, but when she had checked herself over when she just came to there was nothing alarming. She’s fine.

She’s fine.

“You can’t even fight with that broken weapon,” Wind chimes in, exhausted and… Broken?

Riju blinks down at the sword and… she’s holding the hilt of a shattered sword. She… she doesn’t know how that happened. She doesn’t know when that happened. She doesn’t know-

She looks at Wild with wide eyes and he looks- sad. So sad and she never wanted to see him look like that. Sure she had seen him look sad. She had seen him look defeated. His sadness always took him completely, much like Princess Zelda’s did, but now he just looks resigned. She hates it. She hates it. She hates it-

She lets the sword go and wraps her arms around Link’s neck tightly. She feels like crying, so she does.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry!”

Slowly Wild’s arms wrap around her waist and she feels his face fall onto her shoulder. Her shoulder feels wet, Wild’s hidden tears gathering there.

“It’s ok. It’s so ok. I’d rather it keep you safe than gather dust.”

\--

Defeating the remaining enemies and reuniting with their friends doesn’t take too long after that.

Healing… that on the other hand takes a long while.

\--

“My head is still killing me,” Wild groans as they walk through the sand, Twi beside him is sympathetic, but refuses to verbally agree. Time had already reprimanded both of them over their choices. Apparently panic teleporting when you know there’d be dire consequences was not the ideal solution.

The two of them had been ill for two weeks and left to rest at the hotel in the Bazaar; only Riju had been allowed to visit them and even that had been a short five minute conversation. The others had healed much quicker; the fairies they had gathered aiding them all. Restlessness had taken the rest of the group and... well the Gerudo desert was all but barren of monsters and the seals actually let Wind approach without him needing to sneak around anymore.

He still did sneak mind you, something about the thrill of it.

Now though, now they were heading towards Gerudo town. Wild said Riju had a surprise for Wind and then they’d figure where to go next.

Surprisingly Gerudo desert did have something to do with all the monsters. Many monsters they had fought had their blood contaminated. The Yiga were working alongside the monsters… they had no idea why, but the Yiga were the most likely suspect when it comes to the enhanced blood. The clan were known to work with blood rituals after all.

It was Swords and Buliara that had uncovered that. Buliara who had charged after the Yiga that had taken hostages had only been able to save Swords. The two of them had continued to chase down the Yiga and had found another new hideout. One filled with monsters. They relished in purging the area.

“How are you doing Cub?” Twi asks. The two lagged away from the rest of the group a little. Their steps not nearly as fast as usual.

“I just said my head is killing me,” Wild moaned. It was half theatrical, half grumpy. Wild both hated and loved getting injured.

“Not what I’m talking about,” Twi rolls his eyes. “The sword.”

“Ah… I… Riju has already got it sorted out. I’m… I’m just glad she’s safe…” Wild looks away and even though the words are the truth, Twi can tell how hard it is to admit that.

He ruffles Wild’s hair.

“Why wouldn’t she be with you there?” Twi smiles and lightly shoves Wild. “Come on. Let’s catch up; don’t want to miss this surprise.”

“Yeah…”

The desert is as kind to them as always (meaning not at all), but the area is so well known to them now. They know how to walk between the different landmarks; they know where the different landmarks are. It’s much easier getting to Gerudo town without Wild leading them (there was a path amongst the sand that Wild had completely ignored when leading them the first time!).

When they reach Gerudo town Riju is standing there, a newly acquired scar (a cut where the Scimitar of the Seven had sliced at her arm when the weapon broke) with pride. She grins.

“So Wind,” She starts without any preamble, “I heard you wanted to try our famous sport: sand seal racing.”

“Yeah! I… don’t have a shield right now though,” Wind looks embarrassed and it’s understandable no good traveller went without one, but there was no way any of them were going to trust a shield from Wild’s Hyrule (no matter how well Daybreaker did against those Guardian blasts).

“No worries, that’s what we wanted to gift you,” Riju grins and turns to Buliara who huffs and produces a shield. Wind’s shield. The wooden shield that had been passed through his family, until it landed in his hands. Until it broke just a few weeks ago. It had been with Wind since the beginning of his journey.

Wind wanted to cry.

“Don’t even think of breaking this,” Buliara grunted as she passed the shield to him.

“I won’t!” Wind takes the shield, trying it out. It’s not quite the same as before. A little larger, what with it forged back together with gold. “Hyrule hit me!”

Hyrule obliges and the shield stays strong. Wind grins.

“The Kintsugi technique?” Swords asks intrigued and he and Buliara get caught up talking about smithing once more. The two of them get along better than Wild could have ever imagined.

Riju smiles at Wild and he knows the two of them need to talk. Wild won’t leave Riju before talking, he did that last time and it was dreadful.

“Shall we head to the sand seal races then?”

“Yeah!”

The sand seal races take place a little north of Gerudo town, but it’s always worth it to come out and watch. Plenty of Gerudo do that as the race is prepared for Wind. Riju stands beside Wild, trying to appear calm while her eyes gleam with interest. She loves sand seal racing.

“Are you still ok with your decision?” Riju asks, eagerly watching Wind get on his newly rebuilt shield.

“I… I am,” Wild stares at the shield. He’s… he’s glad he went back for those broken pieces.

“It would be ok if you do regret it. There is no way we can rebuild the exact same sword now,” Riju cheers with the rest of the Gerudo as they start the countdown.

“It would, would it?” Wild stares, at the grinning face of Wind. He looks so excited. “It would really be alright after seeing Wind’s face light up like that?”

“Of course it would be fine to regret it, we could have used other gold to fix his shield up. We could have had the sword and the shield,” Riju spares him only a second of a glance; not daring to take her eyes off of Wind’s first race.

Wind rushes off the second the loud “Go!” echoes around them all. It could be heard all over the desert.

“Maybe we could have but…” Wild remembers the rebuilt lance that had once belonged to Mipha; it hadn’t felt the same afterwards. It hadn’t felt like it was Mipha’s. Felt like it was a prop; a prop to mourn. “Wind deserves the best.”

“So do you,” Riju does turn then and her eyes burn with the finality of that subject. No one would insult her favourite hero, not even the hero in question.

“I… sure…” Wild is quick to relent. He watches as Wind surfs just out of view and smiles. “We wouldn’t have this moment though and… maybe I feel like I owe it to him; it was our Hyrule that had destroyed something so precious to him in the first place and… maybe it’s a little selfish too. I hope he won’t ever forget his time here; that with a little bit of our Hyrule going with him he’ll remember us fondly. He’ll always have something to remember us by. I don’t want to forget, but I don’t want to be forgotten either.”

“He wouldn’t forget you Link,” Riju smiles and stares towards the horizon, where Wind will eventually be seen again. “But it is a nice thought, being remembered by the smallest little adjustment. Which is why…”

Riju holds out the necklace Wild had got commissioned. The ruby from Mipha’s spear is surrounded by gold. Little swirling patterns that are delicate and pretty.

“I took a little of the gold from the Scimitar of the Seven to add to your necklace. Do you like?” Riju grins and Wild tries not to cry. He’s cried around Riju far too often lately.

“I love it. Thank you,” there’s not much more to be said.

They enjoy the sand seal racing; Riju getting a little too into her cheering, but that just makes the whole event more enjoyable. The other Gerudo do enjoy seeing their Chieftain happy.

It’s as Wind rounds the last corner and approaches the finish line (nowhere near beating Wild’s time, but not too bad for a beginner) that the unexpected happens. A portal opens. Right at the finish line. Wind dodges in time and a creature on fire, its appearance not too dissimilar to a fire chuchu but more animal like, slides through the portal.

Legend is quick to dispose of the creature.

The Gerudo are kept back from the portal and the heroes approach; knowing their time is short.

“I see it’s time to bid you farewell,” Riju says as they all stand before the portal. “It has been a pleasure getting to know you all, I’m sure our Champion will continue to see you all safe.”

“You mean we’ll see him safe,” Legend snorts, before taking the lead through the portal. Legend always hated goodbyes. Always.

“He means we’ll keep each other safe,” Warriors says; leaving everyone with a bow.

“He didn’t mean that at all!” Hyrule laughed, quick to follow. Sky leaves with him; a smile on his face and a quick wave at the people they had gotten to know.

Time and Twi stick close to the portal, refusing to leave before everyone else. Swords is next through, but not before bidding Buliara and Riju farewell.

“Really! Try creating a proper strong core for the blade first. You’ll make something even Wild would struggle to destroy,” he tells Buliara before turning to Riju. “I never did thank you for covering for me when I got knocked out; so thank you for that. If being a Chieftain falls through I know you’ll be an amazing warrior.”

“Being a Chieftain requires being an amazing warrior, but thank you for the compliment and you are most welcome. It wouldn’t do to have a hero fall on our land after all.”

“Right…” Swords leaves.

Riju turns to Wild.

“Be safe Link, and you best return here once you return to this Hyrule, no dawdling this time,” Riju smiles and Wild smiles back.

“Of course. I’ll be back before you know it! And… I am sorry for leaving like that before. I shouldn’t have ignored you just because I didn’t want to listen,” Wild is sincere in his apology. Not letting things be left unsaid this time.

“All is forgiven, my friend,” Riju grins. “Though I may pull your leg next time we meet.”

Twi enters the portal with Wild, giving nothing but a nod of acknowledgement as he passes the gate.

Wind’s slow with his goodbye.

“Thank you for the shield,” he says, awkward. “Again.”

“It is fine, It is as much a gift from our Champion as it is me,” Riju smiles.

“I figured,” Wind’s hand trails the gold on his shield.

“Smart as well as strong and cute. It is a shame you are not from this Hyrule you would make a good husband,” Riju winks and Wind blushes as he laughs.

“Maybe in a few years,” Wind jokes, before turning serious. “You said Wild wasn’t clumsy and he definitely wasn’t when fighting the Guardians… do you think it’s that he’s been fighting unknown enemies or that he’s been fighting with unknown allies that’s been making him get injured?”

“I… cannot say for sure, but I’m sure you’ll find out on your travels. Keep an eye on him?” Riju requests.

“I’ll do you one better! I’ll keep both eyes on him!” Wind jokes and Riju laughs; kissing the Hylian on the cheek.

“Keep yourself safe as well. Wild didn’t get us to fix your shield just for you to get injured.”

“Yes Ma’am!” Wind salutes before joining a grinning Time as they enter the portal. It closes not long after they all have entered and Riju can only hope that their journey becomes calmer. That it’s not more injuries on top of more injuries. She knows that’s just childish wishes, but maybe they can rest for a little while on the other side of the portal.

On the other side of the portal they burn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOOM! Sorry... I left you guys on a cliffhanger again... and I'm still working on the next chapter, so you won't get an update for another month or two... Sorry!!! I promise I won't leave you on a cliffhanger next time though!!!! I'll end the next chapter sweetly!!!!
> 
> So... what to say about this chapter. 1- if you felt like Wild was too chill about the weapon breaking, don't worry that'll be explained NEXT chapter more thoroughly. 2- I REALLY wanted to write Riju and Wind interacting (and Wind interacting with all the wind based weapons found with the Yiga!) and it just went way out of my control. I blame the two of them for this weapon needing two chapters to break XD 3- I hope the jumping between POVs and different battles makes sense? I was trying for something a little different, cause I wanted to make the fighting tense!!! 
> 
> What else to say... How about some speculation? What weapon do you think will be destroyed next? Where do you think the portal has led them? Will Wind be the best husband in the future? XD
> 
> Thanks for reading and until the next chapter... See ya x


	4. Boulder Breaker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To lose a Goron made weapon at Death Mountain would seem almost poetic to some. Not Wild. This is the worst thing that's ever happened to him. Maybe even worse than dying!

The air is flecked with embers even as no source of heat is viewable. Smoke spews from the walls around them. Every breath is torturous. Laboured and stifling. It’s not an environment a Hylian can survive in. It’s not an environment any but dragons and Gorons can survive. It’s an environment familiar to Time.

As he walks through the portal (promptly shutting behind them, not allowing any to follow their path) he’s quick to take in the familiar walls (walls that he should technically not be familiar with. Not anymore. Not after returning to the past and reliving his childhood). More importantly he’s quick to take stock of the room at large.

Legend stands with his shield in front of him and it surprises Time to note the young man is cowering behind the shield as tiles fly towards them. Flying tiles. A minor annoyance, nothing to cower about. Not that Hyrule isn’t following Legend’s initiative and hiding behind Legend and Legend’s shield. Swords is the only one actively luring the flying tiles away from the group with his shield out. They follow him across the room.

Twi, Sky and Warriors look wary at a creature that has the same flesh as a slug, figure of a vase, but moves like a caterpillar. Unseen from this angle are the vicious set of teeth Time knows it hides. A Like Like. Again annoying, a hindrance, but nothing too threatening. 

Wild isn’t anywhere to be seen.

“I’ll deal with the Like Like,” Wind chimes in beside him, running off to join the wary older heroes.

“I’ll deal with the Flying Tiles then,” Time says, pulling his shield out. He says it calmly like they aren’t going to burn to death. The problem with these monsters isn’t that they’re hard to defeat; it’s that they’re time consuming. The Flying Tiles only disintegrate once they’ve hit a shield meaning you had to wait for them to come to you. Like Likes would devour you if you get too close which meant you had to be careful how you approached (which meant Wild… Wild had probably been eaten which is why the other heroes had been reluctant to fight the creature. At least… Time hoped Wild had been eaten. Like Likes were quick to get rid of their prey after swallowing them).

With Swords, Time and (kind of) Legend dividing the Flying Tiles attention; the creatures are quickly disposed of. Time feels sweat bead down his neck. The metal of his armour burning. They need to leave. They need to leave now.

The Like Like hasn’t been killed yet, but it was lunging for another hero and Wild was wiping himself of slime which meant he had been eaten. They don’t have time to fight the Like Like. It’s not like it could keep up if they run.

“We need to leave,” Time demands simply, already walking towards the door. His tone of voice leaves no doubt with any of the other heroes. When Time took charge, the others followed without question.

“Yeah,” Legend says as he keeps pace, his breathing is laboured. “The heat in here is unbearable.”

“It’s about to get worse,” Time promises. It’s not a promise Legend particularly wanted, but he accepts it as they walk through the door into a room filled with lava. 

The heat is agonising. It physically pushes them back. A wall of impenetrable heat. Time doesn’t bring all his armours with him anymore (he used to, back before he needed bulkier and stronger armour) and he regrets it. If he had his red armour set, he could easily walk through this without a worry. Or he could give it to one of the other heroes to make sure they don’t burn to death. Or if he was alone, he could use his Ocarina and teleport elsewhere (the Serenade of Water plays in his mind and he aches to play it. To throw himself in Lake Hylia). 

The thump of metal sound behind him and turning he sees a peculiar armour set. It’s Wild (the only one not visually present anymore). 

“I only have three bottles of fireproof potions,” Wild says, tapping at his slate. “Though I’m not sure how useful they’ll be here.”

“I’m fine,” Sky says, easily walking forward as though the world isn’t burning around them. “My earrings protect me from all heat.”

“So Wild and Sky will be fine. Do any of you others have protection against this kind of heat?” Time questions.

None of them do. Legend is probably the most resilient just because of the amount of magic protection rings and armour he has on him, but none of it good enough to protect him for long. He’ll probably last a minute longer than the others. Hyrule also has magic that can cast a shield, but it really isn’t designed for heat. Just for sustaining less damage. It’s better than nothing and if they can get less burns over all… well every little helps.

It’s decided that Time, Wind and Twi will take the potions Wild has (Time due him knowing the area, Wild because he’s the youngest (not that they phrase it like that) and Twi because his armour really isn’t designed to deal with this searing heat). Legend, Warriors, Hyrule and Swords have to deal with the limited protection of magic not designed for heat. Time hopes he can guide them all out before the magic even needs to take effect.

It’s slow going. The Fire Temple is filled with slow moving platforms and lava that spits out suddenly (it has been ages since he’s been here. This temple that feels more and more like a prison), but Time doesn’t struggle to navigate. Time’s memory has always been good (it had to be, for those months experiencing the same three days over and over again), but it wasn’t as good before those three days as it was now. Still. He doesn’t struggle to walk through the building. His steps easy. He walks along the path as though he walked this path a hundred times (he hadn’t. He had only walked this path once or twice. It wasn’t like Termina, where he learnt every rock and blade of grass). 

Time keeps a close eye on the four without any protection and they’ve had to leave Wild behind a couple of times; his armour slowing him down (but he’s safe. Unharmed. He won’t burn to death like the rest of them). Sky has taken to fighting the few enemies that lurk around, his time not numbered either (he’s safe and the monsters that still live here are weak. Nothing without the power of Ganondorf or Volvagia around).

He leads them through the lava filled temple out into the heart of the volcano. An active volcano is impressive to see, but Time would never recommend it without the correct equipment. The heat is overpowering even with the potion Wild gave them. It can’t protect Time from the way his vision blurs, can’t stop the way his armour burns like a brand through his undergarments. 

“Which way?” Legend questions. Mouth dry, the words barely sound. 

“You’ll need a hook shot,” Time instructs as he climbs up the bridges nearby. The way out leads them higher and higher. Further from the lava below, but closer and closer to the heat that rises. 

“What about those entrances?” Warriors questions. Gesturing to the two structured doors. They’re built of stone; one appearing older than the other (which would be an illusion. The one that looks clean and made of marble is older. A hidden fairy fountain that never changes).

“Neither of them are exits,” which is technically untrue. The fairy fountain wasn’t an exit. They could take refuge there, but it would only be delaying the inevitable. The other is an exit from the volcano, it leads to the Goron village, but it is blocked. Time cannot assure their escape that way. If the Gorons on the other side mistake it as monsters trying to break through; they’d be forced back. But at the top of the peak of the volcano… 

At the peak he can assure their escape.

Their journey is faster now. A bit of climbing. A hook shot journey across a broken bridge and the break in the wall of the volcano is there. It almost glows with its promise. A light at the end of the tunnel (not that the volcano isn’t bright in its own way). They run through it.

And gasp for breath.

They don’t look in the best of shape. Legend and Hyrule are struggling to breath. Warriors armour has once again burned him. Twi is lying prone on the ground, staring up at the sky unseeingly. Wind is sympathetically patting Swords back as the other hero coughs and hacks his lungs up. Sky is keeping an eye out for Wild who has almost caught up with them (but those two are fine. Safe from the heat with the protective armour they have). Time isn’t doing too great himself.

Like Warriors his armour is boiling hot to the touch. Sure, there is material between the metal and his skin, but he’s sure his flesh will be at the very least pink when he removes all his armour. Showing that although he wasn’t burnt, he was at least singed. His breathing is steady, but there’s a laboured hitch that he can hear (and his wife would definitely notice). His skin is moist and hot with sweat, but it cools down against the gentle breeze that rushes by for how high up they are. Time notices all these things about himself and the heroes he travels with, but more importantly he notices the world before him.

It’s been a while since he’s seen the sight from Death Mountain. The clear blue sky stretches long in the sky. Kakariko village sits below them at the foot of the mountain. The old stone buildings with their red and blue roofs are a sight for sore eyes, even the windmill brings an amused smirk to Time’s lips. What’s more important to him though is the field beyond. Hyrule field and there. Proudly standing in the centre of it all Lon Lon Ranch. Home.

He smiles.

“So, we’re in your Hyrule again old man,” Legend gasps, always the first to notice the mood changes within the group (it amused Time endlessly how Legend acted like he cared so little, when he was almost always the one to figure out if someone’s mood was faltering first).

“Yes. Death Mountain, home to the Gorons,” Time explains easily. This was a place he liked to visit, although he hadn’t in a long while (where Kakariko was always in high demand for Lon Lon milk, Time didn’t like setting foot in that village for too long. Too many dark secrets hid in the shadows there and sadly the normal route to the Goron village was through said village). 

“My Death Mountain did not feel like that,” Twi admits, wiping away the sweat from his forehead. “Is there a reason the heat was that unbearable.”

“It’s a volcano,” Time shrugs. He receives snorts from most of the heroes before them. They’re all quick to dismiss the idea of volcanoes being that hot (which just has Time raising a brow amused). 

“I mean, sure there are certain parts of a volcano you can walk around without burning,” Sky agrees as he and Wild finally join them again. “But the second you get to the heart of it you’ll burn to death. It’s why I have these earrings.”

“You interested in selling them?” Legend calls out and Sky laughs.

“No thank you, they’re not for sale.”

“Just stepping foot on our Death Mountain equals burning to death,” Wild says, taking off the ridiculous helmet of his latest armour (looking at it Time can’t understand how it protects the hero. It is completely metal and bulky, but Wild looks completely fine). “Can’t even fly over it with wooden weapons without them instantly turning to ashes.”

“That doesn’t surprise me with your Hyrule,” Legend grumbles. “Everything in your Hyrule was turned up to the extreme.”

Wild doesn’t say anything, which doesn’t really let them know if he agrees or disagrees with that sentiment, but it is true. Wild’s Hyrule was definitely an odd place to experience. Not completely unpleasant (Time doesn’t think a place can be completely unpleasant), but definitely odd and on the brink of ruin.

“So, what now?” Sky asks.

“We’ll take a five-minute breather, then we have to climb down,” Time says, there’s a long drop before them and he’s almost positive Wild and Wind were just going to jump off and glide their way down.

“To that village?” Wind asks, taking his telescope out to check the location out and Time almost snorts in amusement. Yeah. There’s no way he’s taking them there. He has no doubt the heroes will somehow find themselves in the well or the Shadow Temple or that random hole that leads to ReDeads. There was no way they were going there.

“No, we’ll head to Goron City, we have to climb down a little and then there’s a path that trails upwards. It’s closer than Kakariko. Anyways, five minutes. Cool down and relax there’ll be a bit of climbing afterwards,” Time assures, then heads a little to the left to check in on his old friend. 

The large Goron towers over them all and to the uninitiated (meaning all the other heroes) it looks like the mountain itself is moving. It takes but a second of the Goron asking Time how his sword is treating him for Swords, Wind and Warriors to take an interest in the conversation. 

The five minutes pass faster than any would like. Wild thankfully has plenty of bottles of water stashed away in his slate and passes them around. Some heroes (Twi and Hyrule) throw the water over their heads. Anything to cool down. Once those five minutes are up Time bids his friend (and blacksmith) goodbye, as they start their descent down the mountain. 

As expected, Wild and Wind rush on ahead, though thankfully wait for the other heroes who have to slowly climb down. Then on the path ahead Death Mountain, the benevolent volcano that it is, decides to spew molten covered rocks their way. Time is used to this, the temperament of his Death Mountain infamous, and he helps the few heroes who apparently aren’t used to sudden boulders careening towards them (he swears Sky looks like he’s having flashbacks when the hero just stares for a second at the chaos that is Death Mountain).

After an hour of travel, they finally reach the path.

“Anything else we should be aware of old man?” Legend questions, a little out of breath but fine. 

“At this point of the path?” Time thinks on it (he doesn’t really need to; he knows Death Mountain pretty well at this point). “Sometimes the Gorons like to roll down the mountain. They won’t stop for you, so just step out of their path.”

“Some things never change, eh?” Twi murmurs, but they carry on as usual. Easy conversation flows between them. That abruptly comes to a stop halfway up the path to Goron City.

“What was that creature anyway,” Wild whines. “I’ve never been eaten and spat out by a monster before.”

“Wind said they were Like Likes?” Twi says (questions).

“You’ve never come across them before?” Hyrule asks, curious. There were a lot of monsters Wild hadn’t seen. Time sometimes wondered if it was because of how destroyed his Hyrule was. Maybe it wasn’t an environment even monsters could thrive in.

“No,” Wild says and there’s similar agreements from Twi, Warriors and Sky. No wonder those three hadn’t known what to do after Wild had been eaten. “What exactly is it they do? I didn’t really take any damage. It was just a little gross.”

“They didn’t drain your magic?” Hyrule questions. “That’s what they always do to me.”

“Ah… I don’t really have any magic for them to drain,” Wild reasons. Only…

“I mean… I’ve never met a Like Like that could steal magic,” Swords says. “But I guess it could be possible. I’ve met one that could steal rupees.”

“The little blights have robbed me blind once,” Legend mutters darkly. It always amused Time how Legend could be so calm when fighting the strongest enemy and freak out over the smallest creature (like how he had reacted earlier to the Flying Tiles. Time feels there’s an interesting story behind that one).

“Why didn’t you just fight them back for it?” Wind questions. “Whenever they steal my shield, I just find the Like Like that took it and kill them.”

“Shield?” Wild says and there’s a sudden urgency in his words. A sudden urgency tied to the fact that he was currently carrying a shield that was precious to him. This would have to be dealt with carefully-

“Well yeah,” Legend says, not unkindly (but definitely without thinking his words through). “Like Likes mainly like to steal shields.”

Time has never seen Wild react so fast. His Sheikah slate out and tapping at all kinds of things. He continues to move with them as he searches through the slate, Twi stops Wild from accidentally walking over the edge of the path (the path runs along the edge of the cliff. It would be a steep drop. A painful drop Time knows). Twi also stops Wild from being crushed from a Goron. Swords quietly berates Legend for his words (it’s not needed. Legend knows he’s panicked Wild, but also knows Wild needs to know what a Like Like does. It would only be worse to prolong the inevitable). 

“All my shields are here,” the sword and shield on his back also speak of the hero having not lost them. “Is there anything else it can steal?”

“It’s stolen items from me before. Ammo too,” Legends says.

“I’ve only had shields and clothes stolen,” Time says.

“Well this is Time’s Hyrule. You might want to check your extensive wardrobe,” Warriors says, before grinning over at Time. “Now clothes? That sounds like a story!”

And well… they have the time and it might ease Wild’s worries, so Time shares of the few mishaps he’s had with Like Likes over the years. They were never strong or hard to beat, but they could cause a little mayhem. Such as the time a Like Like had stolen the tunic, he needed to protect him from the elements around. He doesn’t bother sharing the stories where he lost a shield; Time had lost many a shield due to his own stupidity (who uses a wooden shield against a Keese on fire?). 

By the time they reach the entrance of Goron City (all completely rock. The city has been carved into the mountain, the tunnels long and expansive. Some lead to the lava of the volcano, others lead to the forests below. Time knew every tunnel like it was an extension of himself.) Swords is sharing a story of how a Like Like had disguised so well it had surprised him so much he had thrown his sword away. Wild is still clicking through his slate. The things that hero travelled with… well it was a little impressive that he still hadn’t discovered what was missing.

“Brother!” A Goron called out as they spotted Time. Time waved and braced himself for the friendly pat he received in return. Gorons were notoriously friendly and notoriously known for not holding their strength back. “What brings you by brother!”

“I’m on an adventure right now. I’m just stopping by to rest with my companions,” Time explains (shoulder aching from the friendly greeting. Not that he allows the Goron to know, it doesn’t fail to pass some of the other heroes if their snickers are anything to go by). “Is Darunia around?”

“He’s where he always is! Make sure you say hello to Link on your way! He won’t forgive you if you don’t, brother,” the Goron bids them farewell good naturedly.

“Link?” Twi asks and Time can’t help the way his lips twitch upwards.

“Darunia, the Goron Chief, named his son after me,” Time informs, but doesn’t bother going into further detail. Instead he peers over the edge of the first ledge of the city.

Goron City is layers of ledges. Each outcropping of rock carved away carefully so that each ledge is the same width apart. The city is circular and the highest ledge (the one the entrance brings you to) is the widest. Each ledge gets a bit smaller, until you reach the bottom where a large structure stands in the middle, a structure that Time had thrown bombs into as a child (Time had thrown bombs into a lot of things as a child; it was almost instinct at this point), a shop and the Goron chief’s residence. Every other ledge has different tunnels, some holding staircases between each ledge, some lead to the homes of Gorons and the others lead to secret tunnels that would take those adventurous enough to travel through them to lands far from the mountains.

Time leans over the topmost edge to survey the other ledges. Link, the Goron Link, had a habit of rolling around in circles, terrorising all who got in his way. He claimed he was defending Goron City, but what he was guarding it from was anyone’s guess. He had been a creative child coming up with all kinds of enemies he was fighting off and as a teen it had just gotten worse. Time blamed Darunia and his love of telling tales.

Link is circling the ledge two below. 

“Right follow me,” Time says as he walks towards the staircase (his knees wouldn’t cope with jumping down; he was getting old).

“What’s along the ropes?” Wind asks as he points to the weird platform in the centre of the City.

“Nothing. I used to climb across them to avoid all the boulders though,” Time reminisces. He never understands why exactly the Gorons moved the rocks in the mountains so much that they’d sometimes block an entire half of the ledge, but Time just rolled with it. Gorons were odd creatures sometimes.

“Getting sentimental old man?” Legends questions and Time laughs. He can’t help but enjoy Legend’s careful ribbing, always calling him an ‘old man’ and making jokes about it.

“Always,” Time says as he leads them carefully through the staircase’s tunnel. 

They reach Goron Link quickly and then to everyone’s surprise Time throws a bomb at the young Goron. If any of them are questioning Time’s sanity at the action they don’t react quick enough as the Goron Link uncurls himself, picks up the bomb and throws it away.

“Ha! I’m getting faster!” Link chimes happily, re-curling to roll over to the group. He uncurls once more and slaps Time’s back (it hurts which is a little unusual when it’s Link slapping, but that just means the young Goron is getting closer to being an adult).

“I think it’s more you’ve started paying attention to your surroundings,” Time says with a grin. “The first time I met you, you were so scared you thought I was a monster.”

“I was not,” Link disagrees, but it was true. When Time had met Link the first time after the timeline had been reset (and that was an odd experience re-meeting someone he had known in the previous timeline) Link had been missing from Goron City for a week. Darunia, terrified for his son, had asked for Time to help (and of course he had, sworn brother or not Time was always willing to help a person out). Meeting Link had gone far too similar to his original meeting. Link scared had refused to uncurl, Time had used a bomb to force the young Goron to stop moving temporarily and then they had spoken. Link was just as amazed by his namesake the second time, especially when Time provided him with some food. The poor kid absolutely famished after a week of being lost.

Nowadays Link went out of his way to prove how much stronger and more alert he was. It had been a long while since Time had been able to surprise him with a bomb. But that was a pleasant fact. Not only did that mean Time wasn’t stuck reliving the same time period over and over again, but it meant that someone he cared for had grown. He had watched someone age. It made Time feel old and nostalgic.

“Of course, you weren’t” Time allows, usually he’d take more joy from teasing the younger Goron, but it was probably best to talk to Darunia first and check out the situation on Death Mountain. If a portal had opened here it meant there had to be an influx of monsters around here as well. “Is your father busy today or would it be best for us to wait a night?”

“Dad’s always got time for you,” Link announces happily, flopping back down on the ground. Prepared to roll again. “I’ll go ahead and let him know you’re coming.”

“Much appreciated Link,” Time says, amused.

“Sure thing, Link!” the Goron chimes back, equally amused.

He rolls off. Flying over the ledge and completely ignoring the stairs (Time decidedly ignores the sound of a shattering pot).

“So… is throwing bombs at Gorons a normal greeting?” Hyrule asked, the only hero to not have met the stone like creatures. Time laughs.

“No?” Legends questions. “At least I don’t know anyone who does.”

“Sumo wrestling is a pretty normal greeting with Goron in my Hyrule,” Twi adds.

“Yunobo- ah, that’s a Goron friend of mine, shoots himself out of cannons that are powered by bombs. So, I guess Gorons don’t really get hurt by bombs,” Wild hums dismissively, attention still completely on his slate. “Admittedly he has this power that makes him completely invulnerable. Useful shield that power is.”

Time shakes his head, only managing to control his laughter once he’s reached the top of the next flight of stairs (the last one they’ll need to reach Darunia). The weird things he hears from other Hyrules (and clearly the weird things that are normal to his).

“It’s not so much a greeting as a normal way for someone non-Goron to grab their attention. I did say they won’t stop rolling for anyone right?” Time explains. “I’m pretty sure they’ve even mistakenly rolled at Queen Zelda on occasion. Not that it bothers her, dodging such a large target is child’s play for her. As for my greeting to Link there, that’s just how we normally interact. He enjoys the praise of successfully dodging bombs. Most Gorons just let it hit them.”

“I mean… I guess the Goron in my Hyrule are bomb specialists,” Warriors mutters. “If they’re nearly as good with bombs as the Gorons in my Hyrule I can’t see fault in their… choices?”

“They are bomb specialists,” Time admits with a chuckle. It sounded like Warriors was in physical pain saying that, as though the idea of letting himself get hit was profoundly disturbing and it might be, you know if Gorons were actually hurt by such things. As long as no dragons were around, the Gorons would be fine. “There’s also a few smithies up here. Goron weaponry is some of our finest.”

“That large sword on your back, right?” Swords asks, easily swayed into conversation when smithing was brought up.

“I’ll introduce you to a local smith,” Time assures as they reach the bottom of the stairs. The bottom floor is almost completely taken up with the large vase-like structure. Time steers clear of it, he’s messed with it enough throughout his life (he hadn’t expected it to move like it had from throwing a bomb into it) and passes the shop to Darunia’s living quarters. 

The best thing about sending Link ahead of them? Even if Darunia was going through one of his depressive episodes and tried to lock himself away from everyone Link could just enter and forewarn him of who was coming. Time was usually good at cheering Darunia up, but this way there was less messing around before Time even got to meet the Chief. For as strong and wise as Darunia could be, he could also be a little too stubborn (thank the Goddesses for Saria’s song).

It’s warm as they enter the Chief’s room. As a child Time had thought it was from all the torches that line the room, or maybe the decor that’s fur and other cosy materials around the room, but had learnt later on in life it was due to the fact this room was connected to a secret passageway that led directly to the heart of the volcano. Led to the path of the Fire Temple.

“Brother!” Darunia calls happily when he sees him and Time once again braces himself for a heartfelt pat (he really wishes he could avoid them, as a child he could run and no one took offence; if he tried that nowadays there’d probably be some noble drama. Why he always dragged into political and noble drama while being a farmhand was beyond him (OK. So, he knew it was tied to him being the hero and his connection with Zelda, but that doesn’t mean he can’t complain or avoid it)).

“Good to see you again Darunia,” Time says, approaching and accepting that bone breaking slap to the shoulder (this was why he felt so old. Other race’s customs and his good-natured personality to just deal with it).

“When I heard we had guests I was worried it would be your fiancé,” Darunia laughs. “That woman is as cutthroat as ever.”

“Cutthroat isn’t how I’d describe her,” Time shakes his head amused. “More like headstrong. Stubborn.”

Darunia laughs loudly, his way of agreeing with Time’s words. Ruto was a Zora that left an impression. A strong impression. Time still till this day doesn’t know if he enjoys her company or would rather avoid it. She was fiercely loyal, and Time respected that, but she was also strongly opinionated which had led to her causing Time many problems over the years. From their very first meeting she had caused him problems; refusing to move she had forced him to carry her around the inside of a large fish. It… it was a strange first impression all things considered.

“I thought you were married? Why would you have a fiancé?” Sky asks, confused. 

Darunia, much to Time’s chagrin, decides to retell Time’s first meeting with Ruto and how is Time’s quest to seek out the spiritual stones for Zelda he had found himself accidentally engaged to the Zora Princess and how said Princess refused to let it go. Even after Time had gently explained how he couldn’t (wouldn’t) marry her. Even after Time fell in love with Malon and proposed to her. At this point the entirety of his Hyrule knew how he was married to the love of his life yet engaged to the Zora Princess. It was a topic that caused endless amusement to anyone but Time (even Malon teased Time).

“Sounds like you’re just playing the field old man,” Warriors laughs.

“Ah! You’re that knight from before,” Darunia slaps a heavy hand onto Warriors’ shoulder (Warriors almost buckles under the pressure). “I was trying to remember where I’ve seen you before. The timelines get messed up again?”

“You’ve met?” Time asks this time, curious. Warriors had spoken of how his journey had involved crossing over into other lands, but he hadn’t known his Hyrule had been involved. 

Of course, this question led to Darunia regaling his audience with his time fighting beside Warriors. By the time Darunia’s finished his tale the sun had long since set (not that they could tell being inside the mountain, but most of the heroes had found themselves yawning). As always Darunia worked to his own beat, his sense of urgency spiked and fluctuated like Death Mountain’s decision to erupt or not. 

“You guys should stay the night!” Darunia says cheerfully. “If we have two- more? - heroes here I can’t imagine you’re travelling here for a pleasant reason.”

“Probably not,” Time admits. “There’s been-”

“Ah. Save it for tomorrow, Brother,” Darunia says, not allowing for any arguments. “If you have a perilous journey ahead you should take the moment to rest.”

“Tomorrow then,” Time allows, “I’ll lead the others to the cavern for guests. I’ll probably drop by to catch up again later.”

“Of course! You’re always welcome here!” And with that they leave Darunia’s room and head back towards the stairs.

“We’ve been resting so much lately,” Hyrule grumbles.

“Can’t be helped, we’ve been getting more and more seriously injured lately,” Swords shrugs.

“And we’ve already suffered more injuries after what? Half a day after finally completely healing?” Legend snorts, gesturing to his leg where a nasty looking burn rested. A splash of lava must have caught him earlier (not that anyone had noticed, Legend was good at repressing his reactions to injuries)

“We haven’t been well stocked as of late. Is the shop here any good?” Warriors questions.

“Yes, it sells potions. I’ll be dropping by there later once I’ve shown you guys to the beds,” Time reassures.

“I’ll help with restocking,” Sky offers.

“Thanks, for now,” Time leads them to the cavern he had promised. It’s wide and rectangular in shape. Beds line each wall. There’s twenty in total. Beyond the cavern there’s another tunnel. “I wouldn’t carry on down there. If you take a wrong turn, you’ll end up falling into a lava pool.”

“That would explain the heat,” Twi says, falling onto one bed to get rid of his furs. Time watches amused as the hero strips down, Time had thought Twi would be used to the heat from how he talked of his Hyrule. Maybe Death Mountain had cooled somewhat since Time’s time?

Each of the heroes follow Twi’s initiative. Finding themselves a bed and stripping what they need to and checking over their own burns. Time will sort his own out in a moment, but first he wants to make sure everyone’s fine and situated. This is his Hyrule after all (even if it wasn’t, he’d be doing this).

“It’s odd having beds in a cavern. You said this was for guests?” Legend asks.

“The Gorons have realised over the years that when they get Hylian visitors they don’t sleep on rocks nearly so well,” Time explains easily. He hadn’t thought to question it as a child, it was just a normal thing for Time to see. It was Malon who had pointed out the weird juxtaposition of rocks and beds when Time had explained Death Mountain to her.

“Do those Like Likes only take shields, clothes and ammo?” Wild finally pipes up (Time was admittedly getting very worried for the kid; he’d only heard Wild that quiet when he was experiencing a memory returning and it was never a pleasant sight to see. Wild deserved to be loud and lively).

“Yes. At least in my experience?” Wind says, the youngest hero watching over Wild’s shoulder, probably providing unneeded commentary. “Well, I guess less than that in my experience? Maybe they steal more in other Hyrules? Like weapons?”

“Umm…” Wild seems to take the words to heart, continuing his search through his slate. It’s when Time is starting to think Wild is safe and the Like Like hadn’t stolen something (unlikely if the Like Like couldn’t get something from the slate it would have stolen the things on Wild’s back. Maybe it had stolen something insignificant? Something small enough that even Wild wouldn’t have been able to keep track of. He did carry a lot of apples in that slate). Starting to think it would be safe for him to leave the heroes and start getting them restocked. When everything goes incredibly wrong. “Ah! Boulder Breaker’s missing!”

\--

It takes Wild almost an hour to calm down and even then, he wasn’t calm. He was agitated and just- 

He just wanted to go and get his weapon back! 

Boulder Breaker was a great weapon. Heavy to use, but it felt sturdy in his hands and it had helped in that fight with the Yiga and it could be useful in another fight and he really wanted to use it against a Talus and-

It was Daruk’s!

Lovable, friendly Daruk. Wild’s friend (even if he can’t remember it well) and Wild had his diary back in his house. Daruk knew Wild well enough to talk all about his love of food. Daruk had shared his food (and no matter what anyone else said rocks tasted fine, he gets why the Gorons eat them even if he didn’t have the right kind of body to fully appreciate a good rock). He hadn’t… 

He hadn’t used Daruk’s weapon nearly enough. He didn’t get to honour his friend with the weapon (his friend would have loved to know he was protecting others even beyond the grave). And-

That stupid monster had taken it!

Those Like Likes (and what a ridiculous name for those creatures. What was there to like about them?) were weird. Wild had experience with monsters sucking things up, had even taken advantage of it when it came to Rock Octoroks (it was free polishing and cleaning after all), but sucking up a creature and stealing something from them. Wild doesn’t know how it worked! Being inside the creature was slimy and felt horrible like he was being smothered by flesh, but there had been nothing inside the Like Like to steal from him.

The only thing stopping Wild from crying is that he was reassured that Like Likes could be killed to return the item. The only thing stopping him from rushing off to the temple is that they’re all understocked (well… it was more to do with the fact that Twi had physically restrained him and spent most of the hour Wild was panicked reassuring him they’d get the weapon back). They’ll retrieve it tomorrow, he’s promised.

(Tomorrow isn’t good enough.)

He spends the rest of the evening sulking (according to Legend) and with Twi hovering unnecessarily nearby. He knows the other hero is just worried, but it wasn’t like Wild was going to go charging out now. No. He knows he’ll be stopped if he goes now. He’s going to wait. Wait until everyone’s asleep and slip out. Wild could scale a mountain much quicker without anyone around to slow him down.

He makes them all dinner calmly as Time and Sky wander off to the shop. The promise of as many potions as they can carry. It’s a great promise, but it’s not going to be needed for Wild getting his weapon back. He won’t need any potions with what he’ll be doing. Getting his weapon will be easy.

And if no one says anything with there being a little more Goron spice in their meal that night; well they’re in the mountains with the Gorons right now, it’s a suitable cuisine. And if no one says anything when Wild goes to sleep before everyone else, well he’s in a horrible mood and sleep always helps cure a bad mood. And if no one stops Wild from sneaking out later that night, well that’s because everyone’s asleep and Wild has some great costumes from stealth. No one sees him leave.

The Dark Link armour, as Kilton had dubbed it, was an odd armour set. Kilton had said it was the essence of monster, but… who really knew what that meant when it came to Kilton. It could mean it was made of monster parts or was what Kilton thought a humanoid monster would look like. Either way it was a great armour set to sneak into the shadows, especially at night (again he doesn’t know how Kilton made the set work better at night and he’s not sure he wants to know).

He creeps around the Gorons that lumber around, night-time not seeming to affect their routine. Wild can only assume it’s to do with them living inside a mountain. It probably ruined their ability to keep track of the time. It’s still not hard to hide in such a highly populated area. The flickering flames from the torches make the shadows cast weirdly. Wild blends right in.

He makes it outside. Tries to orient himself. Which way would he have to climb from here? Would it best to switch to his climbing gear? Of course, but how long will he have to-

“Interesting armour you’ve got there,” Time’s voice says pleasantly from beside him. Wild does not startle (though it’s a near thing. His heart beats faster than it has against any monster. Wild can’t remember his father, but he imagines… he imagines as a sudden dread comes over him, this feeling must have been felt around his father a lot). He turns slowly to Time, who is casually leaning against the mouth of the entrance casually eyeing Wild’s armour. “It’s not the one you’ll be needing though. Here catch this.”

Something red is thrown his way. Instinct has him catching it. The material feels both soft to touch and hard as though monster parts had been woven into the fabric (it feels like the scales Wild has harvested from the dragons over the years). 

“Well?” Time says, turning around and heading back into Goron City. “Aren’t you coming along?”

“Coming along where?” Wild asks, his feet not obeying Time’s silent command. He was going to scale a mountain and find his weapon, not return back to bed just because Time had given him some nice fabric (it was really nice. He wonders if the fairies of his Hyrule could imbue some magic into it).

“There’s a quicker route to the Fire Temple. We can get in and out before the others wake up,” Time says and if Wild wasn’t already frozen in stubborn pride he’d have frozen at those words. 

He jolts himself out of his confusion quickly, chasing after Time. Time’s lips have that amused quirk to them that makes Wild feel embarrassed, makes Wild feel like he’s fallen for some trap and that Time is finding that hilarious. He tramples that feeling down (he isn’t falling for a trap. Time wouldn’t bother lying to force him back to sleep).

“So… why didn’t we go this quicker route on the way here?” Wild questions, sceptical.

“Because the passage was blocked at the time. We’ll be able to go through it on this side,” Time seems completely at home as he once again leads them downstairs. Wild wonders if it’s through one of the tunnels they’ve passed through. Wild had heard Wind and Hyrule talking about exploring them, but Wild had bigger concerns at the time.

“Why are you helping me?” Wild narrows his eyes.

Time snorts. “Why wouldn’t I help you? We are allies and friends, of course I would help you. It’ll be easier to travel through the temple with less people as well.”

“You just didn’t want to deal with the others,” Wild accuses good naturedly. If Time was helping him, he wouldn’t complain. A shortcut and an experienced guide. Time would probably lead Wild quicker than if Wild had climbed.

Time gives him a secretive smile, one full of mischief. “Let’s just go with that.”

For the first time in hours Wild feels a feeling of happiness bubble up beneath his skin. It’s a pleasant feeling he had been desperately missing since they left his Hyrule. First there was that jarring feeling of leaving his home (and he still didn’t feel like he had said everything he should have to Riju. He thinks he owes Riju more than the few words he had given her). Then there was the instant misstep that had him swallowed by a monster, he never imagined he’d ever be eaten alive. Then he had spent the entire evening looking through his slate only to find one of his most precious weapons gone. It had been a jarring and stressful day. 

His small moment of happiness comes across as a large grin. It’s a little sharp at the edges and a whole lot sardonic, but it’s the best he could do at the moment (there is still that huge pit of gloom festering at the back of his mind. Making him stressed and worried and he’s just... He’s just so not good enough for these weapons his friends had left for him).

“So, what is this?” Wild holds out the red fabric. Its tunic shaped. Nothing like the tunic Time had been wearing, but Wild can kind of see the similarities between Time’s armour. It’s in the way the undershirt is high collared, though the red material of the armour dips low on the chest.

“It’s the armour I used to enter the Fire Temple originally, it’s to protect against the heat,” Time explains. “I went ahead and bought us both a set from the Goron shop earlier.”

“You bought yourself one? Don’t you already have a set?” Wild asks, confused. “And I already have my own armour. Surely this is just a waste of rupees?”

“My set is at home with Malon, I should have brought my red and blue tunics but didn’t think to and your armour set is… slow,” Time hesitates on that last word. Wild stares at him, not really believing him, but he doesn’t really have a choice (or can figure out a reason why Time would lie about that).

“When should I put this on then?” Wild says, deciding to leave the topic at hand. He’ll just trust Time (it hasn’t led him astray yet). “Should we wait to put it on or is it fine to put on now or-?”

Wild is cut off by Time’s laughter. It catches Wild off guard. He hadn’t expected his serious questions to become a sudden point of ridicule. They were legit questions! Time wasn’t exactly wearing his, so maybe there was magic in the armour that only worked when worn at a certain point or maybe if they wore it too soon they’d hurt themselves or the armour would use their rupees (Twi had told him one of his armour sets did that).

“You can put it on whenever,” Time says through his laughter. “They’re just normal clothes, albeit created with something to withstand the heat.”

Grumbling, Wild starts changing his outfit. He’s pretty talented at changing outfits while on the move, what with the Sheikah slate being able to store things and then place them straight onto him as they were intended. It’s a little strange wearing the red outfit, it’s different to his usual outfits which are layers upon layers upon layers. But he has an outfit or two that do look kind of similar in style.

They walked through Goron City with ease. Gorons greeted Time as they continued down the stairs, but none stopped them (then again why would they be stopped, Wild probably didn’t need to be quite as sneaky as he had been on the way out).

“We’re going really far down,” Wild comments as they approach the bottom floor of Goron City once more. 

“The passageway is hidden in Darunia’s room,” Time explains and that’s exactly where he turns towards. “Darunia protects the passage, so no monsters go through.”

“And that’s why it was blocked when we went by it earlier?” Wild guess.

“Exactly.”

The room is as hot as it was earlier and Darunia stands there, large grin in place and a ridiculously large hammer in hand. Wild feels like he’s missed some kind of memo, but it looks like Darunia is prepared to go with them, so… either Darunia knew the heroes better than expected of Time had told him everything when he had gone shopping earlier.

“Brother! It’s been so long since our last adventure!” The Goron yells, thumping his chest with a heavy fist.

Time grins, stripping out of his outfit to fit his red tunic on. “That it has, Old Friend.”

It’s odd seeing Time in the red tunic. It’s less bulky, making the hero that seems the sturdiest (the strongest) appear… frailer than he is. Oh, Wild’s sure Time is just as strong in this armour as he usually is. Is sure this red tunic will make the older hero more agile than he usually is; the weight of his Pauldrons and chainmail missing. But… it still makes him look less sturdy; less defensive. He looks more at home with the tunic on. Wild never realised Time never looked at home in the large metal armour he usually wears.

“We’re going with the Goron Chief?” Wild asks to distract himself from those odd thoughts. He’s probably projecting onto Time or misunderstanding something. Why wouldn’t Time look comfortable in the armour he chose to go on this adventure with?

“That we are,” Time agrees. “When I explained why we needed to go through the secret passageway, Darunia was quite insistent that he’d go with us.”

“Of course, I was! Potential danger to the Gorons that needs to be stopped, a Goron weapon that’s been lost; of course, I was going to help!” The Goron Chief laughs and puts a heavy hand on Wild’s shoulder (Wild can feel his legs wanting to buckle). “Don’t worry, Friend of the Gorons, we’ll get you that weapon back! And no need for formalities! We’re going to be fighting side by side, just call me Darunia!”

“Alright,” Wild agrees. He’s not one for formalities anyway (from what he remembers; what he’s heard and read… he’s definitely a stickler for them). “How long will it take us to get there through this passage?”

“Five minutes tops,” Time estimates, setting the armour he had been wearing safely in the corner away from harm and checking himself over. Checking he has all the equipment he usually travelled with. “Probably not even that.”

“And we couldn’t use this passage earlier?” They’d have recovered Wild’s missing weapon so much quicker if they could have used this passage earlier.

“We couldn’t,” Time reaffirms, before handing a couple of healing potions to Wild. He lets them fall into the slate, not even bothering to organise their exact location. He’ll sort that out later. They won’t need them. The temple they went through earlier had nothing impressive to fight. He doubts it’s changed in the few minutes they’ve been gone. 

“Alright,” Wild agrees once more and then waits on Time and Darunia. This is their Hyrule and he’s following their lead for now. Admittedly Wild wouldn’t know what to do when he finds the creature that had stolen his sword. Something about destroying it, but did it matter how he destroyed the creature? If he used bombs would it have harmed the weapon? Does slashing it with a sword risk the weapon being harmed? How had the creature kept the sword in its body? Boulder Breaker was large.

Wild really should have asked more questions.

A few minutes of organisation and Wild’s led to a strange statue. Darunia pulls it away and it reveals the heart of the volcano they had been travelling through earlier. They leave Link, the Goron Link, to cover the entrance to the secret passage and make their way forward.

The heat is tolerable. 

It’s an odd sensation. 

Wild is used to burning. Muscle memory could only help him so much without his memories and he had charged through lava infested areas without realising how much pain the heat could cause. He had been blistered for weeks and had hidden in Zora’s Domain to recover. When he charged through the volcano a little more prepared, he had an abundance of heat resistant potions and where they stopped you from burning, they did nothing for the heat. He was sweating and panting, and it was overall a dreadful time. When he finally got some gear from the Gorons that resisted even the harshest heat it was still hot. The armour completely submerged the person and stopped them from dying, but there was no cooling in the armour. Just enough ore to protect. Wild had just adapted to being hot but not dead when visiting volcanoes.

The red tunic was nothing like that. It was like a protective layer of magic wrapped around them. It kept them the perfect temperature. It wasn’t a tunic built for adaptation; it was a tunic built to unify. Unify the wearer with the environment around them. They were just another creature of the volcano with these tunics on. Zelda was going to be so jealous when Wild returned from his adventure.

“This is so cool,” Wild admits, because it is.

“There’s a water tunic as well,” Time informs him with a grin as Darunia leads them to the bridge, they had crossed earlier that day.

“What does it do? Make you swim faster?” Wild had an armour set like that (he’d never mess with that armour set, not even to dye the colours. It… it had been crafted by Mipha, it held some of her scales).

“It lets you breathe underwater,” Time explains and- what? There were armour sets that could do that. That sounded cool, but what was the point? To find treasure? Wild had a rune that could do that without getting him drenched. Time laughs. “I’ll show you in one day. It’s incredibly useful.”

“I’m sure,” Wild agrees. How does an armour set let you breathe underwater though? Does it bring the oxygen with you? Does it change the water to oxygen? Does it make you more Zora than Hylian?

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen these doors!” Darunia exclaims cheerfully as they approach the Fire Temple. Wild feels a thrill of excitement. He was going to find that slimy creature and end it. No one gets to harm his weapons other than himself.

“You haven’t checked the temple in a while?” Time questions as they walk through the doors. Even here the heat is completely bearable. 

“Haven’t needed to. There've only been the usual monsters around Dodongo’s Cavern,” Darunia explains, jumping over lava surrounded platforms to reach further into the cavern. Wild follows Time’s path behind Darunia. “It’s why you lot saying a portal appearing here that makes me mighty suspicious.”

“It is strange...” Time ponders. “Would you say there’s been less monster activity lately?”

“There’s been enough to cause problems getting the food through the Cavern, but it’s nothing like when Ganondorf tried stealing the Goron Ruby all those years ago,” Darunia casually swats a Keese away with his large hammer (it looks kinda cool; the casual show of strength). “But nothing will be as bad as back then.”

“Never say never,” Time disagrees and Wild finds himself agreeing. Look at what happened to his Hyrule after all.

“Well, we’ll deal with any problems won’t we, Brother?” Darunia laughs and Time sighs (though looks amused).

Travelling through the Fire Temple is much simpler this time. Everyone travelling is prepared for the heat. There’s no need to worry about dying from being ill prepared. They have the time to carefully walk through the lava filled building, or well they would if Wild wasn’t panicked to get his weapon back as soon as possible. Wild just wants to run through the temple back to the room they teleported in, sadly Time keeps them going at a slow and steady pace.

It takes them hours (ten minutes) to reach the room and when they do… there’s nothing there. The tiles are all uplifted and missing still, but the creature that had stolen Wild’s weapon isn’t there. The door they had gone through is wide open. As were all the other doors they had left through. The rush of not getting themselves killed meant they hadn’t bothered shutting the door behind them. They hadn’t shut the creature into the room it must have been stuck in for a long time. They-

“Well there’s only one way it could have gone,” Time assures Wild, the sudden hand on his shoulder jarring him out of his thoughts (thoughts that were circling, endlessly circling around this impossible situation).

“Yeah?” Wild questions; ignores the way it cracks slightly.

“Yeah, the only path is the one we took here, we never saw the Like Like on the way in, so it must have gone further in. You good to carry on?” Time looks concerned (Wild isn’t used to travelling with people who can witness his every emotional breakdown. He’s still not sure if that’s a good or bad thing). 

“Yeah, I’m good,” Wild assures, straightening his posture out. He searches the room one last time, wondering if the creature wasn’t just hiding (many creatures from his Hyrule liked to hide).

"We'll find the weapon, don't worry!" Darunia reassures and he sounds so sure that Wild can't help but smile. Darunia reminds him of Daruk (or at least the little he can remember and little he's read; he keeps almost expecting to be called 'little guy').

"Yeah. I can't just leave Daruk's weapon abandoned here!" Wild says and he actually feels a little sure. Like they'll definitely find it.

It's a false hope. They spend hours searching the temple. They go through rooms where boulders try and crush everything in their path. They go through rooms that are filled with fire. They go through rooms that look more prison than temple. They fight creatures that dance with flames. They fight creatures that are scaled and vicious. They even fight numerous Like Likes.

Every time Wild sees one he rushes towards them, hope bubbling up, but the Like Like never has the weapon. If they've found the right one the Like Like has either completely destroyed the weapon or got rid of it somewhere, they'll never find it. They've scaled the entire temple.

"Maybe it followed you out of the temple?" Darunia reassures, only-

"There's a ladder at the entrance, it couldn't have followed us," and the temple is empty of all life forms. The three of them had easily destroyed all the monsters. No potions needed, just as Wild had predicted. 

He… he couldn't even enjoy exploring a temple (the other heroes had spoken of them so fondly, how there were many dangerous traps and… Wild couldn't focus on anything beyond Daruk's weapon. Couldn't focus on anything beyond his blunder. He wasn't designed to enjoy life). 

"Let's head out for now," Time says, rubbing the back of his neck with a sigh. "If we take a step back, we can see things from a better angle."

"There isn't a better one," and Wild doesn't mean to sound angry and bitter, but he does (he also sounds a little like he wants to cry. Wild can't remember ever crying. He hasn't since he woke from his 100-year nap, if he ever had beforehand he doesn't remember it). "Let's just leave. I lost it."

Like an idiot. Like a complete and utter idiot. Who goes losing weapons that large? Who goes losing such good weapons? Wild. That's who. The weapon had felt so good in his hands as he used it against the Yiga. It was heavy, but it was just the right weight. Not straining Wild's muscles too hard. Straining just enough that he swears he can still feel its weight now (it's wishful thinking, a phantom limb, caused by him not wanting to give the weapon up. It's been months. There's no way he can still feel muscle strain from that long ago).

"We can-" Darunia abruptly cuts off and Wild didn't see it, but he's sure Time gestured something at him. 

"Alright Wild," Time says, his voice soothing and calming (and everything Wild doesn't deserve). "Let's leave."

The trek back through the temple is silent. This is the second time Wild's left this temple (the first time had been filled with ignorance, this second time will be filled with acceptance), the third time he’s walked these corridors. Wild isn't happy. Has he ever been happy using these weapons? He should have just left them on the walls of his house. They were safe there. Undamaged. Unused. They…

They couldn't keep others safe that way.

They couldn't protect his loved ones that way.

They couldn't have been lost due to Wild's stupidity that way as well.

The trek back through the temple is quick. No enemies left to fight them. All they hear echoing around them is their footfalls. Darunia's heavy ones. Time's sturdy ones. Wild's silent ones. (It's almost like Wild has no presence here. Like he doesn't exist. Like Daruk's weapon. The weapon didn't exist anymore. Maybe it never did).

They exit the Fire Temple and climb into the heart of the volcano. Five minutes and they'll be back in the Goron City. Another five minutes and Wild and Time will return to their beds for an hour or two of sleep. It'll be the worst sleep of Wild's life, but at least he still exists to have that hour (unlike Daruk's weapon).

Wild turns to the path that leads them to the secret passageway and-

Is stopped.

By Time's hand on his shoulder.

Wild looks at him questioningly. But Time just smiles and directs them towards the edge of the outcropping of rock they're standing on. He sits on the edge, his feet dangling above lava. Darunia easily joins him. Wild is kind of manhandled into the position. 

"What-"

"Just take a moment Wild," Time says. "Take a moment to take in the sights and then we'll talk."

There aren't any sights to 'take in'. There's lava and rock and-

It's a sight Daruk would appreciate. 

It's a sight Wild would appreciate.

There's a large circular rock in the centre of the volcano. It looks odd amongst all the lava. There's greenery growing around; a large leaf below that Wild wants to investigate (it's the kind of thing that would point to a Korok in his own Hyrule, he wonders what it could mean in this Hyrule. Had Time already discovered the treasure it surely hid? He suspected so). There are structures around that remind Wild a little of the Faron region. Structures that are a mystery to all. 

It's not what you'd expect from a volcano… or at least… not from Wild's Hyrule. Maybe in other Hyrules this is the usual, but in Wild's it's all mine carts and metal buildings and hot springs. Their Hyrules were so different. He wonders how Daruk would have reacted to seeing a different lifestyle for the Gorons (he wonders if the Goron lifestyle was vastly different 100 years ago, in that time period that he can't remember).

"So," Time asks, it makes Wild startle (thankfully not enough to fall into the volcano). "How are you feeling?"

"Really?" Darunia interrupts before Wild can gather his thoughts. "That's how you want to start? We should be promising to find the missing weapon, or getting a new one made or-"

"Shitty," Wild admits and Darunia quietens down, but his grumbles make Wild think he's still disagreeing with Time's approach. "Feeling pretty shitty right now."

"You know, it's not the same; it'll never be the same, but I've lost some precious items I'll never ever again," Time says, he doesn't say it in a way that diminishes Wild's experience. Says it in a leading way, like he's willing to share his experiences if Wild wants. If it'll help.

It won't help, but… Wild wants to hear about the old man's past. He's always so secretive. (They're all so secretive.)

"Yeah?" Wild asks, hesitantly.

"Yeah," Time smiles (it's both soft, full of nostalgia and sardonic. It's impressive to pull off so many emotions in a single smile). "I can't recall how many times I've lost items, had items destroyed. I didn't really care at first, I had a mission to accomplish and if I lost a shield or two along the way, the world wasn't asking too much from me. Just a few rupees, but then I met Ganondorf."

Ganon… it was a calamity for Wild. A calamity that destroyed their lands for a century (more, so much longer than a century). None of the heroes had explained what Ganon was to them, but from the little Wild had gathered none of the others had come across the form Wild had. He wondered what form Time had defeated.

“You know I was raised by a tree?” Time questions, he seems amused by the concept, but Wild can guess who he meant.

“The Deku Tree?” Wild asks.

“He’s still thriving in your time then? Though… maybe not the same one that raised me,” Time says, shaking his head with fond amusement. “I’m not sure if it’s the same in your time, but in this Hyrule the Deku Tree guards the Kokiri. They’re a people that never age, they’ll forever retain the appearance of children and I was raised amongst them. I was always the odd one out amongst them. Kokiri don’t grow, yet I came to them as a babe and grew to have the same appearance as them. Kokiri are formed with a fairy companion forever beside them and until I turned ten, I was without one. I was plagued with prophetic dreams that were more nightmare than anything. I grew amongst them, but I was always something strange to them. All but to Saria.”

Time takes the Ocarina from his waist (Wild doesn’t think he’s ever seen time without it). He calmly brings it to his lips and plays a tune. It’s a cheerful tune. An upbeat tune. Wild can see Darunia forcing himself not to dance along to the tune. Wild can understand the feeling; it really was the kind of tune the demanded dancing and laughter. It was light and bright.

“She was my only friend before I left the Kokiri,” Time says after he’s finished his tune, he doesn’t place the ocarina back onto his belt just yet though. “When I left, she told me she always knew I would, which with hindsight makes complete sense, but at the time… I wasn’t prepared for a goodbye. I wasn’t prepared to leave my only friend behind. She had prepared me a gift. An ocarina. It was a way to always remember her. It was a way to contact her no matter how far away we parted. I admit I called her more often than I should for her guidance.”

“Is that the ocarina?” Wild asks, as Time carefully brushes his fingers against the gleaming blue of the instrument. 

“No. This is the Ocarina of Time, a powerful instrument, gifted to me by Queen Zelda, Princess back then,” Time explains, holding the instrument up for Wild appraisal, but not giving it to the other hero. “This is the only ocarina that could be used to open the sacred realm. Zelda passed it to me originally when she was being chased by Ganondorf. I’ve dreamt of that meeting my entire life, but nothing could prepare me for the actual encounter. Ganondorf was after this ocarina, he needed it if he were to get the Triforce and he had seen Zelda throw it to me. I only had a second to distract him from it, so I swapped this ocarina for the one Saria gave me.”

“Did…” Wild can’t ask, he knows what must have happened. There was only one answer.

“When Ganondorf saw it, he destroyed it; thought Zelda had thrown me a fake ocarina as a distraction,” Time answers the unasked question anyway. “His anger as he tore after Zelda was a terrible thing to see.”

“And…” Wild doesn’t know what to ask. Does he ask if Zelda was OK? Does he ask how Time had felt? Does he ask what he did afterwards?

Time chuckles as though he can read Wild’s conflict perfectly.

“I myself was pushed on by my anger after that, I’m sure the way I charged for the Temple of Time was an equally terrible thing to see. Ganondorf had destroyed the precious gift my oldest and best-est friend had given me, he had killed many while chasing Zelda; I had dreamed of hurting me for a decade and it was nothing compared to the actual pain. But I had no time to mourn, I could only allow myself to feel my fury and it was all pointless.”

Time goes quiet for a moment. Let’s the information soak in.

“Pointless?” Wild asks, voice suspiciously small.

“Ganondorf was aware of my deception. Knew I had the Ocarina of Time, he had destroyed Saria’s gift to trick me into thinking I had succeeded in tricking him. He followed me to the Temple of Time and when the Master Sword hid me in the Sacred Realm, it had allowed Ganondorf to reach the Triforce,” Time explained. “Ganondorf won and for seven years he tormented the lands of Hyrule. When I returned from the Sacred Realm all I could witness was the destruction he had brought to everything, everyone I cared about. All I could feel was anger and frustration and horror. Everything I had done was pointless.”

“You didn’t fail though,” Wild disagrees. He knew Time had succeeded. There were tales of Time in Twi’s Hyrule, their tales of him in Wind’s Hyrule. They always spoke of a beloved hero. 

“Ultimately? No. Temporarily? Yes, I had. I wasn’t meant to be stuck in the Sacred Realm for seven years, the Master Sword had judged me too young to be a hero and froze me until I was ‘worthy’ to wield the blade. I fought in that destroyed future and when we rid Ganondorf of his piece of the Triforce we reversed time to stop everything from happening. Of course, things still didn’t go completely to plan with us knowing everything.”

“What happened?” Wild asked, expecting Time to answer but it’s Darunia that interrupts.

“That Gerudo brat still managed to get the Triforce of Power without coming into contact with the Triforce. Link here also couldn’t return before Ganondorf was already terrorising the land, so we had to rid all the monsters Ganondorf had set upon the lands. We were dealing with that mayhem for years even after Ganondorf was banished,” Darunia grunts.

“He also killed the Water Sage through the banishment ritual,” Time sighs. “Of course, it wasn’t meant to be a banishment. They were planning to execute the Gerudo King, but with him wielding the Triforce of Power no one was strong enough to do so. Ganondorf is currently stuck in a Realm similar to the Sacred one. I’d like to say he has no way to escape, but he must have for more heroes to have fought him.” 

“How’d you deal with losing that ocarina then?” Wild asks. “You said your anger got you through at the beginning, but after all that, did you replace it? Did you talk to your friend about it? What happened?”

“I was sent to a time before I lost it,” Time admits. “I was given it a second time and… it was jarring. Constantly over the course of my life I was re-given items I had been given and lost from returning back to before Ganondorf destroyed everything. You could argue I never lost the item, but I did. I saw it be crushed under Ganondorf’s own hands. Saw it’s shattered remains fall to the ground. Then before I could mourn it properly, mourn the loss of the only remnant of my childhood, Saria gave it to me again. I cried, I’ll admit, and Saria was so confused about why I was crying when she held out the ocarina, but she comforted me nonetheless.”

“So, you still have it?” Wild asks.

“It’s safely tucked away at home where no one can touch it,” Time confirms. “It’s never the same though. I can’t associate the item with the original items I was given, the memories are all different. That first time Saria gave me that ocarina I ran off without looking back. The second time Saria held me close and let me cry my feelings out. They’re not the same item, even if they are for all intent and purposes the same. It’s the same with everything that was ever given to me.”

“You should have seen him when I gave him the Goron Bracelet,” Darunia laughs. “I was so angry that a child had been sent by the royal family and only him playing the song his friend had taught had calmed me down enough to listen. But the entire time he had his hand held out, as though he expected to be given something. I was almost brought back into my rage by the attitude he was portraying.”

“I was just trying to speed up the process,” Time shrugged, uncaring. “I wasn’t going to be able to get into Dodongo’s Cavern without being able to pick up the bomb flowers.” 

“I can’t believe the Queen trusts you to be an ambassador of the country,” Darunia sighs.

“I’m usually just a farmer,” Time grins, before turning back to Wild. “With all my experiences with time I have items that shouldn’t exist, already in the hands of the person who gave me them as well as my own and I have items that have been broken numerous times but still exist because of the way my adventures have been. I did not deal with this well at first and I still hate to think about it. What I’ve learnt is best for me is to think of the present. I could dwell on the fact that I’m receiving something a second time or I could dwell on the fact that the mask I have is being worn by someone else at the same time, but it just makes me feel miserable. It hurts to think about. Instead I’ve learnt to accept it and when things get too hard, I talk to people. Malon insists I share everything with her and I’m happy to. Queen Zelda can understand certain things better than others, her powers allow her. I can still contact Saria and-”

“There’s me!” Darunia happily interrupts. “You were a brat as a kid, Brother, but one that I’m proud to know.”

“Of course,” Time laughs. 

Wild has this too when he thinks about it. He had Riju who talked to him before he even thought it was a problem (she was a friend that wasn’t afraid to call Wild out when he was being stupid). He had Sidon who talked to him when it became a problem (he was always so supportive, willing to support Wild no matter what his choice was). He had the other heroes who happily shared their own experiences to help Wild come to his own conclusions (he knew this could only be temporary, they’ll part ways one day like he had to part ways with the previous Champions, but for now they were a sturdy rock. Sometimes they clashed together badly, but more often than not it was something to rely and rest on). He had Zelda who… who patiently waited for him to find his way beside her (he didn’t know who he was when it came to Zelda. He wanted to be her friend now, he knew she wanted him to be her friend, but they needed to find their way there. With her waiting for him for 100 years and him having forgotten almost everything before he woke up, they were both lost).

He wasn’t alone. He had people he could go to. People who would support him when he was overwhelmed, but… 

“I don’t think I want to forget,” Wild says, his hand coming up to his chest. He clutches at the necklace hidden beneath. He had only had it for a day, and it was the most precious thing he had. 

“Oh?” Time says, not pushing the conversation. Letting Wild draw his own conclusions. Every hero was different. They’d all deal with their problems in their own way.

“Twi… suggested making something out of what was left of the weapons,” Wild admits and carefully takes out the necklace. Ruby encased by gold and it looks beautiful. It looks like Gerudo and Zora fashion combined. A culture clash that was beautiful. “I… I think I want to keep doing that, but… I can’t now. Not with Daruk’s weapon.”

“So, is the reason you're having trouble now because you couldn’t add Daruk’s memories to the necklace and not because you broke the weapon altogether? Wind did say you were pretty chill over the Sword breaking last time,” Time speculates.

“It’s not just that and it’s not that I was ‘chill’,” Wild pauses, his face scrunching up as he tried to figure out how to best say what he wanted to say. “If I had broken Boulder Breaker after fighting a monster, after protecting someone I think I’d feel a bit better. I brought the weapons along, because I wanted to make sure I could help us out to the best of my ability and these weapons are some of my strongest. I brought them along because I wanted them to mean something. I lost the Lightscale Trident while protecting Twi. I lost the Scimitar of the Seven through Riju protecting herself. How could I ever get angry over such good reasons to lose a weapon? This time though… this time I lost it due to my own stupidity. My ignorance. If I knew Like Likes could take shields and weapons, I would have fought them from a distance. What good was losing the Boulder Breaker? What good was bringing the Boulder Breaker with me?”

“You did get to use the Boulder Breaker though,” Time points out, not unkindly. “Didn’t you use it against the Yiga?”

“I could have used any weapon for that,” Wild argues. “It wasn’t anything grand.”

Time hums in thought a little, his fingers dancing along the ocarina. He wonders if his fingers were following the tune to a song. 

“Your weapons aren’t guaranteed to be destroyed when protecting someone,” Time says, not unkindly. “Honestly, I wouldn’t even say your weapons being destroyed are the reason someone is safe. In that fight against the Lynel you had to use other weapons after the trident broke. From what I hear the sword breaking almost put the young Chieftain’s life at risk. They were both used as a part of two lives being saved, but it wasn’t the weapon that saved their lives. It was your skills.” 

“But-”

“I can’t tell you how to see things,” Time interrupts. Brings the ocarina to his lips again. “I can only tell you how I feel. I’m thankful you were brave enough to risk a weapon precious to you in that battle with the Lynel, because it saved someone who was precious to me. I’m thankful to you that the Pup’s life is safe. Though, I’d have rather your weapons were sturdier and had no risk of breaking. One day these breaking weapons are going to put your life at risk, and I won’t be able to sit idly by.”

Wild wants to argue. Wants to argue it’s not him Time should be thankful towards, but Time smiles (like he knows exactly what Wild wants to say) and puts the ocarina to his lips again. He plays a song. It’s slower this time. Softer. It makes Wild feel like all his pain and sorrow melt away. He’s never heard songs like this. He wishes he could let Kass hear them.

The three of them sit there above the lava pool of a volcano listening to the hiss of flames and the gentle melody brought about by Time’s talented fingers. The song gently comes to an end and Time stands. He holds a handout for Wild.

“I know it’s not the same,” Time starts as Wild pulls himself up with Time’s help. “But we could use some ore around here and have the Gorons add to your necklace. It’ll still be a memento from the Gorons and at the very least it’ll remind you of the final resting place of Daruk’s weapon.”

“I…” When Time explains it like that… Wild doesn’t think he can say no. It sounds more pleasant that way. He wants to remember. “Yeah, that sounds good. Won’t the others worry about us though?”

“Ah, a little worry is good for the soul,” Time smirks, leading them further into the volcano. “And you and Twi aren’t the only ones who like to go on little side quests.”

Wild feels his soul leaving his body at that. Side quest… he and Twi… Had…

Time’s smirk is almost feral as he directs it towards Wild. He ruffles Wild’s hair good naturedly though. 

“Come on Cub, we have plenty to do.”

And they do. There’s finding the right material to go with the ruby and the gold. There’s finding a smithy who can work such delicate work (the Gorons of this time are used to large scale work). There’s just the two of them enjoying their time with Gorons. 

“He was scared of dogs,” Wild relayed and Time laughed as Darunia pouted. 

“Gorons aren’t good with dogs no matter the era, eh?” He had nudged the Goron Chief’s side. 

“It’s not my fault they see a Goron and start growling,” Darunia argued. “Come on you have to remember something good about your Goron friend! We’re a brave proud race!”

“He was a good person? He shared his food with me?” Wild had said, questioned, struggling to recall with the little he remembered. 

“True Goron hospitality!” Darunia yells, boisterously. 

“Wait his food? Wild! Did you eat rocks?” Time sounds aghast.

“It tasted pretty good,” Wild had admitted. “It’s a shame Hylians don’t really have the proper digestive system for it.”

Darunia had laughed and offered to share some of the rocks the Goron ate in this time to compare. He continues to laugh as Time tells him exactly what he would do to Darunia if the Goron even thought about giving Wild rocks to eat. 

It was a fun side quest. Wild enjoyed himself. He adored learning more about Time.

He’s still not sure if he agrees with Time’s point of view though. He’s not sure if he can agree that the Champion’s old weapons weren’t designed to save lives. He’s not sure he can agree that he himself is the one who should be thanked for the lives saved. He couldn’t save their lives if he didn’t have these weapons (he conveniently ignores the fact that he finished the Guardian off with an ancient arrow created by Robbie, conveniently forgets that he would have fought the Lynel with a mop if he had to). He’s not sure if Gorons from a different era working on his necklace counts as a memento for Daruk, but…

He has fun with these people. The memories he’s making now are precious and the Gorons. They try so hard to mimic the complicated designs of gears that the Gorons of Wild’s time use that he can only be proud of the end result. When the Gorons are finished they’ll present Wild with a gear shaped clasp that connects the chain and the golden decorated gem. A clasp so much stronger and sturdier than the previous one. Wild loves it. He can’t say if Daruk would love it, but he likes to imagine he would. Likes to imagine Urbosa and Mipha would approve.

When Time and Wild return to their comrades Wild feels a little lighter. Not even Twi’s frustrated worry can ruin Wild’s mood. Especially when Time makes a passing comment about Twi wanting to hog all the ‘side quests’. Twi has never looked so pale before.

Wild laughs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time is BEST Dad!!!! He's understanding, loves a good joke and will fight to make sure his boys are safe and happy!!!! I have to admit Time did accidentally take up like half this chapter, but in my defense Ocarina of Time was my first Zelda game and the one I've replayed the most so I kept wanting to add more and more little references to his Hyrule (this was actually me limiting myself in how much I referred to his Hyrule XD)!!! Anyway! I hope even with Time stealing the show you've enjoyed this chapter!!!! 
> 
> Also!!!! This was meant to be updated like a month ago, but my computer broke, so had to wait to get my new one (which I now have and it GLOWS RAINBOW which is pretty damn awesome!!!!). But, aside from that cool little fact, it means this last month I haven't been able to edit anything but I HAVE been able to write (on my phone) so the next two chapter are written, just need to be edited!!!! So expect the next chapter next week!!!! (Of course, the chapter that doesn't end on a cliffhanger is the one that has an actual schedule for an update XD) 
> 
> Anyways did you guys enjoy this chapter?? There's only two weapons left to break, but any ideas which will break first/which weapon will prove to be the sturdiest and survive the longest?
> 
> Thanks for reading and until the next week... See ya x


	5. Great Eagle Bow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They may call these the lost woods, but Wild unexpectedly finds something important here...

"I can't believe you were going to go off on your own," Twi says. Voice stern.

"You literally just said a second ago you were going to stay up all night to make sure I didn't do anything stupid and the only reason you didn't was because Time assured you he had it covered! You literally expected this!" Wild complains.

"And I can't believe you'd _tell_ Time about the jewel side quest," Twi accuses.

"I didn't! He figured it out himself!" Wild reiterates for what feels like the twentieth time. 

"By something you said. I have no doubt about that," Twi huffs and Wild nudges into his side (Twi doesn't even budge, but Wild hadn't really wanted him to fall over. He wouldn't even be able to make Twi fall over).

"You're just annoyed, because he gave you that disappointed face when you denied everything," Wild mocks. "Should have just owned up to it, like I did."

"You are literally admitting to telling him," Twi shoves Wild away, Wild just comes back like a trusty boomerang. 

"I didn't. He just knew," Wild shrugs. "Old people, you know?"

" _You're_ over 100. _You're_ old."

"Boys!" Time calls and the fact that the whole group goes quiet so quickly (even though Twi and Wild were eagerly arguing and the others were making bets on who exactly would win the argument) went to show just how much the group couldn't deal with disappointing Time. "Where your argument has been fun, we're going to need to be silent to get through the rest of the forest."

"Are we expecting enemies?" Warriors' asks, always quick to switch into serious respectable soldier mode. "I thought we just had to be careful not to get lost."

"That's why we need to be quiet. The music will guide you," and there was a tune that could be heard. A tune that was now familiar to Wild. Time had played this tune, had said this was a tune his friend had taught him. “As for monsters. The closer we get to the Forest Temple there might be some, but if things are peaceful here it’ll only be Deku Shrubs and the Skull Kids.”

“And if it’s not peaceful?” Warriors asks.

“Wolfos, Mad Scrubs, Stalfos, Stalchildren, Bubbles, Moblins, Poes. A lot of enemies appear if the Forest Temple has been messed with,” Time explains. “It was built to protect the forest. At least that’s what I’ve been told.”

“Not a lot to worry about then, right old man,” Legend had teased.

Time laughed.

Reaching the Forest Temple isn’t hard. For all the warnings Time had given them, none of them get lost and none of them struggle to keep to the correct path. They follow the music and end up in a maze. A very climbable maze-

“No Wild,” Time had stopped him from going up the easier path. “It’s not a difficult maze.”

It isn’t. But Wild could have climbed and got through it quicker!

At the end of the path is a small girl with green hair. She smiles pleasantly at Time.

“What trouble have you got into now Link?”

\--

After Wild and Time had proven the Fire Temple was fine and Darunia had assured them that there were no other enemies around, they were a little stumped. They had a duty to figure out what was going on, but why had a portal opened up and led them to a dead-end? Had it been a trap? Was there trouble somewhere deep in Time’s Hyrule. Trouble like they experienced in Wild’s Hyrule? And… Time’s Hyrule was the first time they met a monster with empowered blood. Where was the threat?

Time had suggested checking the other Temples. The Temples were always targeted when there was danger. The Forest Temple was where he led them to first (he conveniently didn’t mention how it would be easier to get to the Shadow Temple or the Water Temple first). The forest was his home. The Forest Temple, a place where he could relax with his oldest friend.

Time led them out of the mountain through secret tunnels that almost instantly became forest. The Lost Woods was widespread and truly could make a normal man lose their way. These heroes were not normal men.

\--

Saria was a cheerful girl who could have been older than all of them, not even Saria knew. The concept of time escaping the Kokiri. 

She had explained that while she hadn’t seen any sign of monsters running rampage, sometimes the Forest Temple cried out, as though in pain. As though monsters had infested it, but by the time she reached the temple everything was the same as it always was. Nothing out of place. The temple silent once again.

They chose to investigate.

“The Forest Temple can be a confusing place,” Time had explained as they entered the building. “It’s winds in different ways, rooms overlap in odd ways and the entire building’s layout can change at the flick of a switch. It wouldn’t be wise to split up.”

“I don’t think we really can afford not to split up,” Warriors had admitted, felling a Giant Skulltula with ease; like it was a mere pest (supposedly the creatures were pests in some Hyrules, Wild had never seen one personally). “These corridors are too narrow for the nine of us. We’d be asking to be harmed if we stay together.”

“You might be right about that,” Time had admitted, leading them to a large chamber. Numerous doors led away from the room; eerie lights stood in the centre. Each glowed a different colour. 

“Can’t we just split off into smaller groups through each door?” Legend had asked.

“Some of them loop back around to each other,” Time sighed, pulling out a map. “Let’s figure out how this would best work.”

From the map it was obvious the building really did change based switches and they really could mess with each other if they pressed a switch at the wrong time. Still Warriors and Time worked out how they could split the areas between them without interfering with each other.

Wild ended up in a courtyard with Warriors and Legend.

The courtyard was a wide area where the grass had overgrown, where the vines along the walls had been allowed to spread as they wished, and a small creek ran through. It looked peaceful, but temples could be deceptive like that. The second Wild walked forward a plant appeared from the ground and tried grabbing him.

Warriors pulled Wild back from harm and Legend shot an arrow forward, slicing the creature from its roots. The head of the plant creature (and it had sharp teeth) flailed around for a little before losing all momentum and slumped onto the ground. Legend shot another arrow to make sure it was dead.

“Let’s not run off,” Warriors remarked.

“I didn’t run off,” Wild complained. “I literally took a step off the steps! The only way we could go! It’s not my fault all the foliage covered that thing up.”

“He makes a good point,” Legend says, carefully walking towards the now dead plant. Carefully checked his arrows before repocketing them. “Though, I thought you’d be used to enemies hiding in overgrown grass. Considering your Hyrule.”

“I just burn it all down,” Wild shrugs, as though he hadn’t admitted to arson (though with what Wild’s Hyrule looked like, maybe most wouldn’t consider it arson. Most of that land belonged to no one. No one, but Mother Nature). 

“We’re not doing that here,” Legend says resolutely.

“I mean…” Warriors looked around. “It could work. The entire build is stone, there’s no wood that could help spread the fire. It would be controlled in this environment and there’s water if the blaze did go far-”

“No. We are in the middle of a forest in the Old Man’s land,” Legend shuts the idea down. “There is no way we’re doing that.”

And Wild had been told about this place. Time had shared his stories about growing up here when they were on the mountain. Time had explained how his childhood friend, how _Saria_ , came here to play her ocarina alone. How Saria would always wait here for Time if he needed to see her. How although Time could never return to his home, Saria would walk the furthest she could in the forest to meet him. 

There was no way he would burn this place down. (Not that he had actually been suggesting it; he had only explained what he did back in his own Hyrule.)

“Time grew up in this forest. I don’t think he’d appreciate it,” Wild admits.

“Exactly! Though…” Legend trailed off, giving Wild a once over. “You probably know more about the Old Man than all of us now. What exactly were you guys talking about the other day? It must have been real motivating for you to abandon that weapon.”

And ow. That smarts. Wild hadn’t abandoned the weapon. He tried his best to find it and he didn’t want to leave it, but…

He… he couldn’t remember Daruk all that well. Everything he learnt, the little he remembered, made him think the Goron was amazing though. A caring guy. A softie inside, but definitely not outside. A motivating guy. A little insecure, but not letting that get him down. He’d try his best with a large friendly smile. Wild liked the Goron, from the little he could remember; from the little he had worked out. He was told they had liked each other in the past, but Wild… Wild couldn’t rely on that. Had to make a decision based on the him now… Like how Time had to keep losing and regaining things that were his, Wild had to decide if he wanted to like the past Champions, his past friends as he was now. He liked Daruk.

Daruk would not want him wasting his life away looking for a weapon that was long gone.

He remembered that golden amber shield that popped around him whenever danger approached. How Daruk grunted with exertion as his spirit tried to keep Wild safe. How Daruk still called him ‘Little Guy’ and believed in him when he had lost his memories and was stumbling through Hyrule mindlessly. 

Someone who believed in him so. Someone who went out of his way to protect him wouldn’t want him to linger behind in a volcano for decades searching for something that wasn’t… Something that wasn’t all that important in the long run.

It… It had taken Wild the few days travelling after Time had shared his story to realise that… a couple of weapons were ultimately meaningless. Items held the meaning that the person put on them and where… where these items were important and valued to Wild, they weren’t… not to everyone else.

Mipha’s trident was important to the Zora people, because the Zora not only remembered but had put meaning to the weapon. Urbosa’s sword and shield were important to the Gerudo due to the fact that the Gerudo kept them in her name and passed them down through her family line. Daruk’s sword-hammer hadn’t meant anything to the Goron. When Wild had been given it not a single Goron had protested; not a single Goron took note of the weapon. And Revali’s bow… would be exactly the same. The Rito knew it to be an impressive bow, but Revali was more remembered through a physical place. Revali’s Landing. Even then… the Landing was more to remember the entirety of the past 100 years, not just the Rito Champion.

The weapons were meaningless and Wild shouldn’t feel guilty using them. If Wild had left them on the wall mounts in his house, another 100 years from now someone would have found them and used them carelessly. Wild would use them with the strength they deserved. His past friends would probably want him using their weapons to protect himself. Or well… Most of them would. He…

He wasn’t sure about Revali.

“Time just shared some stories about his own past,” Wild explained to Legend. “It helped me leave it behind.”

“Must be some impressive stories,” Legend said, a little sarcastic, but that was that hero’s usual attitude. The day Legend wasn’t sarcastic was the day something was terribly wrong. 

“They-”

“Above!” Warriors calls out and the two of them turn to see what he had called into question. A flickering lantern flutters above. It glows an eerie blue and the second all eyes are on it; it hurtles towards Legend at high speeds.

“Poes are so annoying!” Legend bemoans, shielding himself from the hit. 

The lantern clatters loudly with the shield, echoing around them. The second the light hits the shield a creature appears. It’s hooded and purple and reminds Wild of Wizzrobes of his world, especially with the way it laughs and disappears after the failed attempt. The lantern is still visible though.

“Not only Poes!” Warriors yells, as on the balcony above (a balcony that could be reached if they climbed the overgrown vines and ivy) Bokoblins and Moblins not from this world overflow.

The Bokoblins are from Wild’s world. If it wasn’t the appearance that gave that away, then it was definitely obvious when one of the creatures was pushed off the balcony from being filled too much to the brim. The Moblins though… Wild has no idea.

They’re a dark blue in variation (and if that is similar to Wild’s world it meant they were weak for its kind). They also had strange tattoos and thick jewellery around their necks. They jump off the building wielding spears like that’s a normal experience for them.

Wild pulls out a bow. Revali’s bow. The Great Eagle Bow. He’s… not sure if Revali would care enough about him to risk his weapon being destroyed. All his memories of Revali have the Rito insulting him. Zelda would mention the Rito Champion fondly on occasion only to trail off when she realised the Rito had proceeded to insult Wild in the memory. Revali always insulted Wild, but…

When Wild had met his spirit, he had seemed more… pleasant? Calm? Wild imagines 100 years left to think, did that to a person and… Maybe Revali couldn’t ever like Wild. Maybe Revali wouldn’t like Wild destroying his bow, but… 

The bow was Wild’s now. He was going to use it to help his friends in this battle. If it broke it was more than worth it. It would… have to do.

Wild aimed upwards and shot three shots into the group of enemies. Each shot hit, but some were more useful than others. One hit a leg, which would slow that enemy down but not end him. One hit an eye and that Bokoblin squealed in pain. The third hit a Bokoblin straight through the heart; that was the one Wild had been aiming for. It fell down dead.

“Legend, can you deal with the Poe?” Warriors questioned, pulling his own sword and shield out as Wild set another three arrows into the crowd of monsters. Two monsters fell this time.

“If it’s anything like the Poes of my Hyrule sure, it might take some time though!” Legend dodged as the Poe came spinning at him again with the lantern.

“As long as it’s dealt with!” Warriors surveys the monsters ahead. How more seem to be pouring out of a door. He’s not sure how many more there will be, but he knows what enemy he needs to fight. “Wild keep up the crowd control. I have a Moblin to defeat.”

“Easy! These Bokoblins are the weakest lot,” and they are. Their red flesh marks them as easy prey and they don’t seem to be contaminated, falling lifelessly to the ground after either a well-aimed shot or a couple of badly aimed shots.

Wild can do this. Shooting at the crowd isn’t hard, though… Wild doesn’t know if he’s ever done crowd control before. He has no memory of it, but that didn’t mean much. At least it seems simple, just slowly chip away at the crowd. Thankfully Wild has Revali’s bow. The bow easily shot three arrows off at once.

They manage fine for five minutes. Warriors keeping the Moblin off to the side and slowly chipping away at the Moblin’s defences with skilful bladework. Wild sweats and his muscles strain from the amount of exertion he’s putting in from pulling the bow back and lining it up against three different enemies. It’s not often an enemy gets past him, but the few that do are swiftly shot in the back of the head. Legend is stuck dancing with a lantern, always just missing out on getting a strong hit in (the Poes of his time did not disappear nearly as much as these ones).

It’s when Legend dodges the lantern that everything goes wrong.

Every other time Legend had dodged the Poe stopped and would try to realign to aim at the hero again. Sometimes revealing itself for a short second that Legend would try and take advantage of. This time though… the lantern kept swinging on and away. Right towards-

“Wild!” Legend had called frantically. He was too far away to pull the hero out of the way, and he couldn’t hit the Poe when he couldn’t _see_ it. There was nothing he could do but watch the train wreck about to happen.

Wild had turned back, to see what Legend was yelling about only to have heavy metal and blue flames collide with his back. The lantern knocked him forward and Wild yelped. That hurt.

Like a well-placed set of dominos when one crashed down; they all crashed down.

Without Wild to stop the hoard rushing forward the Bokoblins charged forward. Towards the Moblin and Warriors. 

Warriors was a skilled fighter. The people of his Hyrule were used to fighting massive hordes of monsters and he could hold his own when need be, but he needed backup to cover him. Where he could be a one-man army for a short amount of time, he couldn’t maintain it. 

He kept it up to the best of his ability. Switching between a defensive stance and an offensive one when needed. Never pushing too far but taking out the enemies he could. His sword was covered thickly in blood. All of it a bright red. Uncontaminated. 

Warriors could keep fighting for hours if needs be, had had to on occasion. Dire occasions. But it was a little different when he was being swarmed by both annoying weak monsters and a stronger monster that happily took advantage of that. If he defended a hit from the Moblin’s heavy spear the Bokoblins would try jabbing him with their weapons or throwing stones at him. If he tried to kill some of the little bastards, he had to dodge the Moblin’s spear. It was a juggling act he could maintain until Wild got back to his feet (where was Wild anyway? He wasn’t where he was a second ago?).

It was a juggling act he could only maintain until the archers appeared. 

The entire courtyard was filled with Bokoblins now, the entire group Warriors would assume if the sudden archers from above were anything to go by. Archers should always take the rear. Long distance being their forte. 

An arrow sliced his cheek open and Warriors needed backup. He couldn’t deal with three different threats at once (he was only Hylian for crying out loud). Where was Legend? Where was Wild?

The Poe had Legend preoccupied and Wild was… Scaling the wall? Wha- Positioning from above would be great, but they didn’t have time to arrange that. They were-

Wild leapt from the wall and Warriors couldn’t explain what happened next. 

Wild for his part had been quick to get off his feet when he had been knocked over. Legend regaining the Poe’s animosity had snidely told him to hurry it up. Legend’s way of showing he cared; Wild was sure.

It had only really been a couple seconds, but the enemies had rushed forward towards both him and Warriors. He had to defend himself, quickly unsheathing a sword to slash at the crowd mobbing him. A couple of wide swipes and he was free to move again, but Warriors was completely surrounded. 

The area was covered in vines. Vines that were climbable. Wild had a plan.

He downed a stamina potion. Made the slate switch his clothes to that of his climbing gear and rushed up the wall nearest him. A wall hidden in a corner. With all his preparations he was atop the wall in good time and then he leapt.

Wild didn’t know why, he couldn’t remember if he ever knew why, but there were moments where time seemed to slow down for him. He may not know why, but it never stopped him from taking advantage of it. Didn’t know if there was ever a reason not to take advantage of it. Mid-air was one place where time seemed to freeze.

As he leapt the air that rushed to pull his hair behind him, hushed to a whisper. The monsters that had been viciously striking Warriors slowed to a crawl. The world was sharper than it had ever been before and in Wild’s hands was Revali’s bow.

He sent the arrows forward three at a time. He couldn’t tell if it would kill an enemy outright, so he sent more and more and more. Arrows rained down from above. He pierced as many of the Bokoblins surrounding Warriors as he could, and he had even sent some the Moblins way. By the time Wild hit, the ground (a harsh landing that made his legs ache, not focusing on the ground beneath him only the enemies in sight) more than half of the Bokoblins fell with him. The Moblin cried out in pain but remained standing.

Revali’s bow had broken.

“I don’t know what you did,” Warriors laughed, breaking through the diminished crowd to join Wild’s side (they could cover each other’s backs). “But can you do it again?”

“Yeah, I just need-”

Wild had looked down at his bow and the world faded around him. The fight didn’t exist to him anymore. He was a slave to his mind. To his memories. To a memory of Revali. 

\--

_His bow snapped. The string snapping against his fingers._

_He didn’t flinch, didn’t make a sound of pain. Just shook his hand out and tried to figure the best place to get rid of the bow. There weren’t any plans to return to Hyrule for a couple of weeks. Not until the Princess had gone to the Spring of Wisdom to see if she was able to awaken her powers there._

_“Link,” Mipha pulled his hand towards her, already healing the pain away (there wasn’t more than a scratch on his finger, but Mipha had always worried. It was her greatest personality trait; the way she just cared). “You should be more careful.”_

_“The_ Champion _can’t even endure a small amount of pain like that?” Revali had mocked. “Even Rito hatchlings could deal with the string of the bow snapping.”_

_“It’s not a case of Link not being able to deal with it,” Mipha had shyly let go of Link’s hand, sending him a bashful smile before giving Revali a stern look. “It’s just that pain shouldn’t have to be tolerated with a healer around. You better not be hiding your wounds from me, Revali.”_

_“I have no wounds to hide from you,” Revali had laughed. “I’m not so easily hurt, unlike our_ Champion _here.”_

_“Stop making it sound like Link isn’t doing a good job, Revali,” the Princess had chided. “He doesn’t get injured when fighting. It’s only when a weapon breaks on him.”_

_“It is peculiar though,” Urbosa had chimed in, her voice lyrical. “You do have a tendency of going through bows and shields like they’re nothing. I wonder if it would be the same if you did not have the Master Sword… maybe_ that’s _why the Master Sword chose you, you’d only be able to help with a weapon that didn’t break mid battle.”_

_“If that was a prerequisite then any Rito could be the Champion,” Revali had laughed. “Bow often snap back home.”_

_“Please,” Urbosa laughed. “Maybe your bows need to be strengthened.”_

_“Excuse me!”_

_While the arguing happened behind him Link had looked down at the bow. It was one of the royal bows. A guard had passed it his way and… it really was wasted on him wasn’t it? The only weapon he hadn’t managed to break was the Master Sword (and thank the Goddess for that! Imagine_ breaking _the Sacred Sword)._

_“Lighten up Little Guy!” Daruk clapped his shoulder. “We'll get you a new bow before the final battle!”_

_Link had nodded his agreement. They had time before the final battle to get a new bow… maybe he’d stock up on more bows. Carrying more than one seemed to be a better idea, even if it weighed him down. But at least he had the Master Sword for now. He had some way to protect the Princess._

_“Maybe don’t be baited into an archery challenge with Revali next time,” the Princess commented. “At least until I understand_ how _you’re breaking these weapons. You’re strong, but not_ that _strong.”_

_Link had shrugged, there wasn’t much he could do about it. Maybe he really should just stick to the Master Sword. It was probably safer that way._

_They carried on their travels. They had a long way to travel. Across the fields of Hyrule Castle where the Sheikah were testing out the Guardians, through the Twin Peaks that was crowded with travellers, up a long mountainous path to the hidden village of the Sheikah and then past that to the mountains guarded by a Dragon. There Link and Zelda would travel alone. To the Spring of Wisdom._

_But for now… they were still passing through Hyrule fields. The day was peaceful. The citizens of Hyrule still enjoying the celebrations of Zelda’s birthday. They settled in for the night at a farm. The Princesses and Chieftain sleeping inside. Daruk hid somewhere from the dogs that happily lived on the farm. Revali and Link guarded them all, neither from Royalty; both used to roughing it out in the wild._

_Of course, the problem with Link guarding with Revali was the Rito didn’t understand Hylian sign language, so Link couldn’t have any input in the conversation following. Thankfully for both of them Revali loved the sound of his own voice._

_“Really! How you Hylians manage to sleep in such enclosed spaces makes no sense to me!” He berated. “How are you able to escape trouble with so many walls around you minimising your movement? It’s no wonder the Princess keeps coming across trouble with you sleeping in buildings like this!”_

_If Link could have spoken, he would have pointed out that structures like these ones could protect from weapons. Like arrows. He’d have pointed out that unlike the Rito, Hylians couldn’t fly. Their movements were already limited._

_“And you! Why aren’t you maintaining your weapons?” Revali points his feathers at Link, startling the Champion a little. “It’s no wonder your bow snapped so easily if you aren’t doing any maintenance on it!”_

_The two of them had been sitting around a campfire built just for the two of them. Throughout his passionate speech Revali had been moving his feathers along his bow._

_It was a large bow, almost as tall as Link (but he had been told on numerous occasions that he was pretty short). The limb of the weapon was a blue, grey colour that kind of blended in with Revali’s feathers. The tips were gold and fanned out like wings. The sight stretched out far ahead and seemed to end at a point that didn’t look all that different to an arrow’s head. The string was thick and strong, and a blue ribbon was tied to the top of the bow. It looked like the scarf Revali had wrapped around his neck._

_It was an impressive bow._

_Revali wasn’t the only one attending to his weapon though, Link did have the Master Sword out. Cleaning it. Making sure there wasn’t any blood from the few enemies they had slain earlier._

_Link held it out, proof to contradict what Revali had accused him of. He tutted._

_“Oh, we all know how well you care for_ that _sword, does it give you a sense of validation in the world?” Link hadn’t reacted to that (Revali was always accusing him like that, but he didn’t even know_ what _to say those kinds of words). “I’m talking about the bow you broke earlier. Do you look after any of your other weapons?”_

_Link had just stared at the Rito Champion. The bow… was broken. Could he fix it? No. Link had never been taught how, but maybe… someone else could? He… didn’t really know how the Knights of Hyrule worked. He had been chosen as the Princess’ Guard at a pretty young age. He didn’t have many people to report to when he returned to Hyrule. Just had to stay by the Princess’ side._

_“_ Really _?” Revali sighs, holding his feathers out. “Can’t even fix a bow. What a useless Champion we have, but no worries. You have Revali here to show you the ropes.”_

_Link had blinked (as Revali would say uselessly) for a few seconds, before tentatively handing the broken bow over. It’s not that he would ever suspect the Rito Champion of sabotage, Revali had too much pride for that. He would work to beat Link on his own merits. That didn’t stop Link from being surprised at Revali’s easy wish to help._

_“The bow is hardly damaged,” Revali had tutted. “Only the string is broken. Of course, the limbs could use a good clean. Were your hands covered in that grime you call food when you touched such a precious weapon? Really you can be quite the slob. Never mind. I, the great Revali, will have this fixed in no time.”_

_And he really does. He takes out the string used for his own weapon and situates it perfectly in Link’s bow. Cleans the limbs aggressively while tutting over Link’s cleanliness. When he’s done (he did it so artfully that Link was stuck transfixed) he shoots an arrow off to test._

_“Well, it’s nowhere near as good as my bow, but it’ll have to do,” he throws the bow at Link to catch. Link does catch it easily and after shooting off a few test shots himself, he finds the bow better than before._

_He stares at Revali._

_“What? You know I can’t stand your staring. If you have something to say. Say it.”_

_Link can’t speak. Revali can’t understand signs, but… Link signs what he wants to say. Revali continues to stare at him unimpressed. Link repeats himself. Going through the motions of his words slower then faster as though the speed of what he’s saying will help Revali understand._

_“Just speak. I know you can,” Link can’t._

_“He is,” Mipha calmly says, walking towards them. “You just choose not to listen.”_

_“It’s not my fault Hylian Sign isn’t universally understood,” Revali defends himself._

_“It isn’t, but it is your fault for not even attempting to learn when you know that’s how Link communicates. We Champions should be a unified front,” she chides, before smiling at Link. There’s a blush across her cheeks. “I just came out to check if you were both alright and to pass this to you Link. It can get quite chilly at night.”_

_She passes Link an extra blanket. Link signs his thanks, with the best smile he can manage (it’s small, but it’s there)._

_“It was my pleasure,” she turns to Revali. “What Link was trying to express with his words, that you wilfully ignored, was the desire to learn how to fix bows like you. He made a remark on how skilful you were while doing so, and wished for you to teach him, if you’d be so inclined.”_

_“I…” Revali coughed to clear his throat, suddenly tongue tied (but Mipha could make anyone tongue tied). “Well it would be amiss for me to leave our Champion defenceless now wouldn’t it?”_

_“It would,” Mipha smiled, before walking back into the house. “I bid you both a good night.”_

_Revali sighed, glaring over at Link. “Right listen up. Hatchlings learn this before they even learn to wield a bow, so you better keep up. I’m not planning to baby you through this.”_

_Link had nodded his eager agreement and the night ran them by. Link learned how Revali looked after his bow. Learned the basics of fixing a bow. Learned when to notice a weapon was close to breaking, to mitigate the damage before it became too much._

_Revali continued to show Link the art of the bow. He even let Link use his bow one night. Link broke it._

_“Really,” Revali huffed, fixing the broken string. “I’ve never seen someone break someone else’s bow so thoroughly. You really do have a talent for destroying weapons, don’t you?”_

_Link had been contrite. Bowing his head low in forgiveness. Revali hadn’t paid it any mind._

_“Well, it’s easy to fix,” he held the Great Eagle Bow out. Link stared. “What? Even an amateur like you can fix this, so fix it. Unless you’re suggesting that you are greater than the rest of us and thus don’t need to compensate for the things you break?”_

_That had not been what Link had been saying and he eagerly tried his best to fix Revali’s bow. It felt more like another lesson though and not compensation. Still Link had done it and…_

_The Great Eagle Bow was fixed. The arrows it fired aimed true._

_“Maybe there’s hope for you yet Champion.”_

\--

“Legend! Retreat to me!” Warriors yelled, his words loud and precise. The kind of words that were propelled forward with ease. The kind of words that were practiced to do so.

“But-”

“Retreat to me! Wild’s down!” Warriors commanded. His shield held tightly to cover for Wild, while he viciously tore through the enemies that approached. Blood painted the ground in front of Warriors in a large arc. Not a drop of blood touched Wild who sat motionlessly behind him.

“Dammit,” Legend grit his teeth, and turned his back on the Poe. He would normally never turn his back on an enemy, there was too much chance he’d be hurt, but… he couldn’t risk it, not right now. He’d manage. He just had to be quick.

He sped forward, allowing his boots to give him an extra boost. They propelled him forward. He brought his sword out, slicing aimlessly at the monsters that he passed. If they didn’t die from the wound (and the wounds were fatal if only due to the speed behind them) then they lay on the ground. Slowly dying. Eternally injured.

He’s beside Warriors in an instance. He’s quick to pull his shield out and help Warriors cover Wild.

“What happened?” Sure, Wild had been knocked down due to Legend’s blunder and sure he had been momentarily surrounded, but Wild was better than that. He wouldn’t be taken out like that and… their positioning was weird. Why was Wild in a corner kneeling?

“I… I think it’s one of his memories,” Warriors explains. “He was mid-sentence when he looked at his broken bow and…”

“Right… Do you think hitting him will break him out of this?” Legend asked. Already tempted to shove his foot back in the hope of jogging Wild back to life. 

“If that worked, I’m sure Twi would have done that the last time he was like this,” Warriors grunted as he shielded a particularly heavy hit. Legend took a swing at the assailant, catching the arm of the monster, before having to shield himself. “But he didn’t. He let Wild work his way through it.”

“Wouldn’t it be best to at least retreat to the next room? We could guard from the door better than in this corner,” Legend looks around, he really doesn’t like being backed up like this.

“I’d rather not risk it. We don’t know how Wild would react to that. I don’t think Wild knows how he reacts like this,” Warriors throws Legend a grin. “And anyways, we’ve got this covered. Unless you’re saying you don’t think you’ll be able to defend Wild and defeat these monsters at the same time?”

Legend grins right back. 

“I was just worried about you. You did seem to be struggling with that Moblin.”

“That Poe is looking mighty healthy still.”

The next twenty minutes of battle is vicious. The two of them stand as a solid defence in front of Wild and nothing gets past them to harm their currently disposed of ally. The two are mostly unharmed as well. Warriors had a nasty gash on his arm where he mis-timed a swing and Legend’s legs had a few bruises and cuts from his shield not being nearly as encompassing as Warriors. The enemies… the enemies have had the worst of it.

When the Poe had tried to ram his lantern at them once again, Warriors had bounced it off his shield, making the blue flames engulf one of the Bokoblins. The Moblin’s spear had tried piercing Legend’s shield which had held fast, but the Bokoblins between him and the Moblin found themselves skewered on his spear. The Bokoblins shooting above hit the enemies swarming them more than them. It was friendly fire from the enemies’ side, the monsters not caring about each other; a not well organised fight. There were numerous troops, but no leader to guide. 

Thankfully, there was more organisation on their side. If Warriors and Legend could keep the defence going, they’d be left with only a couple more monsters to deal with. All they had to wait was for Wild to wake up.

The fight ended before Wild woke up.

“I think we took a wrong turn somewhere Hyrule,” the voice of Sky remarked.

“It’s fine! You heard Time, everything interconnects, we’ll find the way back easily,” Hyrule comments. “And anyway, I can hear fighting, can’t you?”

The two of them had burst out of the door the monsters had and easily finished off the archers from above. It hadn’t taken long for them to survey the situation and join them.

“If you’re the rescue committee you sure took your time,” Warriors joked.

With four heroes the monsters were slain in record time. Warriors rolled his shoulders trying to get some feeling back into his poor limbs. Legend stretched his legs, wincing at the ache.

“What’s happened to Wild?” Hyrule asks, gently nudging him with his foot. Warriors pulls him away.

“A memory returned again, we think,” he explains. “We need to leave him be for now, do you think you have the magic to heal Legend; he got hit a few times.”

“I’d worry more about myself if I was you, Lover boy,” Legend snorted. “That cut on your face isn’t going to be popular with the ladies.”

“I think you’ll find-”

“I have enough magic to heal you both,” Hyrule reassures and is quick to do so, before checking over Wild (without touching him), just in case.

“So, what do we do?” Sky asks. “It took Wild a while to wake up last time.” 

“Well… this room is connected to the room we're meant to re-meet the others in, so it won’t be hard to keep an eye on when the others return and explain the situation. But… we’re going to have to keep an eye on Wild. There could still be more enemies lurking around,” Warriors decides.

“Wait, if this is connected to the room we started in, have you guys not been able to explore?” Hyrule asks.

“No, we were almost instantly dragged into a fight,” Legend explains.

“Oh… well, did you know this place is really weird. There were empty picture frames and-”

When Wild does wake up Hyrule is trying to make everyone believe the temple is haunted (and it kind of is what with the Poes around). Wild blinks a few times, trying to remember where exactly he is, what exactly he is doing. He was… fixing a bow.

“Wild!” Sky calls. “How are you feeling?”

Wild instinctively Signs that he’s feeling fine, which… doesn’t assure the group around him all that much. They look between each other worried and-

Ah. Wild can talk now. He’s not like the Link of his memories, he can talk, but… can he…

“Showing you the bow again, isn’t going to trigger another memory is it?” Legend asks, clearly holding it away from him and-

Ah. He broke Revali’s bow again. That’s what had happened.

He coughs.

“No, it’s fine. I’ve got what I needed from that,” he holds his hand out and Legend tentatively gives it back to him. Wild smiles down at the broken thing. He can… he can fix it himself. If… if he still has the same kind of skills as he had in the past. But that hasn’t proven wrong yet, his muscle memory is strong.

“Was… the memory a pleasant one?” Hyrule asks.

“Yep,” Wild admits, before pulling himself to his feet (when did he get on the ground and why did his leg almost cave in with pain?). “A long one as well. How long was I out? Do we need to meet the others yet?”

Wild’s cheerfulness puts them all on edge. It puts the others on edge when they all finally meet up. It’s decided that Wild needs time to heal some more while they continue to search the temple (to finish exploring the route Wild, Warriors and Legend had started and the elevator that would take them deep underground). Wild being absolutely fine with this is alarming, but… less stressful for all involved. 

Twi stays by his side as the two of them leave the Temple behind them. They walk side by side towards where Saria continues to play her cheerful little tune.

“Are you honestly alright Cub?” He asks. “You’re starting to worry me.”

“I’m fine Twi, promise,” he grins. “And you’re going to be witness to something amazing.”

“Well, now I’m terrified,” Twi sighed.

“Ye of little faith.”

“It’s not that I don’t have faith in you, it’s that I know what your idea of amazing is,” Twi stares at him (probably trying to be intimidating). “Don’t blow up anything in Time’s Hyrule. You can do it in any other Hyrule, just not this one.”

“I don’t see why he can’t blow anything up,” Saria says pleasantly, when they reach her side. “It’s not as though Link is any better. I don’t see how the Goron don’t regret giving him bombs. And those Bombchus of his…”

“Bombchus?” Wild eagerly asks.

“Please, don’t explain what they are to him. We need less firepower with this one,” Twi says, purposefully ruffling Wild’s hair in a way that will make it painful to untangle.

Saria just laughs. It’s a pleasant sound, like her music.

For now, Wild turns back to his bow, sitting beside Saria. He’s not as prepared as Revali was to fix the broken bow, but he’s sure he has enough to fix it temporarily at least. 

He cleans it first. Just as Revali had all those years ago. His feather blended with the colour as he cleaned the limbs. There had been nicks in the wood back then, a sign of overuse; a sign of Revali training and practicing constantly. Some of those same marks are in the wood, little scratches that will never leave, but some of those marks have gone. Maybe maintenance from other Rito, maybe some parts of the wood being replaced. Either way the bow is the same as the one Revali had used and it had been looked after well.

Revali was right. The Rito are taught from the egg how to care for their weapons.

Twi leaves Wild to it but keeps a careful eye on him. Allowing him his silence, but a welcome presence to talk to if Wild feels like talking. Saria goes back to playing her music. It’s calming and great to listen to as Wild works. 

They’re all used to silence here. They’re all comfortable in silence.

Wild works on the bow.

Makes sure the bow is clean. His fingers easily dance into the groves and awkward places to reach. His body remembering what he had previously forgotten. Like how the scratch on the right side of the bow was from when Wild had broken the bow previously, he had pulled the string too taut (not used the bow yet). Snapping the string and accidentally pushing the tip of the arrow into the wood.

He searches his slate for the right kind of material to use for string (Revali had belittled Wild when he tried to use rope, which… admittedly hadn’t been smart on Wild’s part. Revali had dared him to try using rope in replacement of the correct material and… Wild had responded to the challenge and failed. Spectacularly). He finds something and starts the careful process of entwining it to his bow.

“I didn’t know you knew how to fix bows, Cub,” Twi remarks, voice soft as though he was afraid to ruin Wild’s concentration.

“Neither did I, until I broke this,” Wild finishes tying one end of the string and carefully aligns it to the other.

“Then the memory that returned…” Twi hedges, not quite pressing for information. Just opening the topic for Wild to explain. If he wanted.

“Yeah, one of the past Champion’s, Revali, taught me how to fix bows. Said I needed to be more responsible with my weapons,” Wild explained.

“Well, I hate to say you need to learn that lesson a second time, but,” Twi laughs as Wild shoots him a glare.

“I didn’t even learn it properly the first time!”

“That’s not something to be proud about!”

“I didn’t say I was proud about it, did I?!”

Saria laughs and the two stop their argument. Wild returning to his bow; focusing on his bow. Twi looking away, embarrassed (probably worried this was inevitably going to be heard about by Time).

“You two get along very well, don’t you?” She comments.

“I guess,” Twi says.

“He’s a friend that’s like a brother you know?” Wild comments and ignores Twi’s pleased face (he wouldn’t let Twi tease him for saying the truth).

“I know how that is. It’s the same with me and Link,” Saria agrees. “My adorable younger brother who has physically outgrown me.”

“He did say you were his best friend,” Wild says. “I… I did have a question I wanted to ask you, but I feel like I know the answer now.”

“Will you really know if you don’t ask though?” Saria asks, not unkindly.

“You… make a good point,” Wild tugs at his hair; a little nervous. “Time told me about an Ocarina you gave him. How’d you feel if it were ever destroyed or lost?”

“I’d feel sad for sure,” Saria tilts her head, thinking. “I gave him that item as a sign of our friendship and a reminder of where he grew up. But I understand things happen. Especially outside of the Lost Woods. Hylians and Kokiri see things very differently.”

Wild hums in thought, taking the words in.

“Did I answer how you suspected?” She asks, smile tilted upwards with amusement.

“Kind of,” Wild says, it was kind of the answer he was expecting. But he felt like it was missing something. An important factor.

“I don’t think it was the question you wanted answering,” Twi chimes in. “Isn’t it more that you wanted to know if Saria would forgive Time for breaking the ocarina?”

And… that. That right there is what was missing. It was the guilt and the forgiveness that Wild was wondering about. He had seen from Revali an acceptance when Wild had broken his bow. He was fine with it. All he requested was Wild fix it. Fixing it was his show of forgiveness, but he didn’t have that for the other weapons, didn’t have memories to attest the other Champions’ opinions. He just wanted to know… could a person be forgiven for doing nothing?

“Yeah… that, that’s what I wanted to know.”

“Of course, I’d forgive Link,” Saria says. “But there’d be nothing to forgive in the first place. I gave him the ocarina to do with it as he wished. It’s his now. He can treat his items how he chooses to, but if he wished for forgiveness, I’d give it to him. He’s my precious friend and I love him; faults and all.”

If he were to use that knowledge on the past Champions...

Mipha would definitely forgive him. He was told she had loved him; he had read that she had loved him and in that latest memory… he could see that she had loved him. She was caring towards him in a way she was not to everyone else. She treated him differently, better (not to say that she treated others badly, just there was something different in the way she treated Wild).

Daruk would… probably forgive him? From what he had read they were definitely friends and from the little Wild had seen… he could say they got along? Daruk gave him a nickname that Wild hadn’t heard him call anyone else and he defended him. He… thinks Daruk would defend him.

He has no idea about Urbosa. He can’t guarantee they were ever ‘close’. He can see she cared for Zelda greatly and he knows Urbosa could tell Wild cared for Zelda closely. Their relationship was probably a case of mutual understanding, a friendship that’s born from having the same friends and motivations. So, he can’t say he was close to Urbosa, but he can tell she was more mature than most of them; quick to find amusement out of a situation. Urbosa might… understand?

Revali hated Wild. Hate… might be too strong a- No. It was definitely hate, but it was misdirected hate. It was similar to Zelda’s first impression of Wild. If the two had been given time to get to know each other, maybe things would be different. That last memory was close to the end and they… seemed to get along better. But, if he were working by Saria’s logic, Revali wouldn’t forgive him. Revali didn’t care for Wild. He’d never forgive him.

But…

People were different. They dealt with things differently. Revali as a person wouldn’t accept anyone’s apology, he was too stubborn to allow someone to ‘atone’ for ‘wronging’ him. But, in that memory Revali had… not even cared about Wild accidentally destroying his weapon. Revali… wouldn’t care.

The Champion’s… Wild can’t guarantee but… he doesn’t think any of them would care and…

The weapons _were_ his now. He had been given them for doing the impossible. He had been given them for freeing the Champions’ spirits. Wild would do what he wanted with them and…

He had done his best. He thinks. 

He hopes.

“You know… Revali hated me,” Wild informs the other two after he’s thought on it. After his mind’s caught up. “But I think even he’d agree with what you’ve said.”

“One of the Champion’s hated you?” Twi asked.

“Yeah, he wasn’t happy that I was chosen to be _the_ Champion,” Wild explained. “He definitely wasn’t fond that I refused to speak.”

“What an asshole,” Twi clicks his tongue and Wild laughs.

“He wasn’t all bad. Just too proud.”

“You know… there’s a Kokiri like that. His name is Mido,” Saria explains. “He likes to claim he’s the leader of us Kokiri and thus throw his weight around. He wasn’t fond of Link, not at all.”

Saria’s fingers dance along the ocarina, playing a soundless tune. It’s exactly the same mindless motion that Time had been doing at the volcano. 

“He’d always find something wrong to insult Link with. Every Kokiri has a fairy, so Link not having one was the first thing Mido bullied him for. When Link got Navi, he'd insult him for not handling a sword properly. Then when the Deku Tree tragically died he blamed Link for it. There was nothing Link could do to appease Mido,” Saria shakes her head. “And it wasn’t anything Link had done, Mido was jealous. Jealous of our friendship and that jealousy led to him being spiteful. When Link left, none of the Kokiri knew what happened and Mido started blaming himself. Wanted to apologise, but Link sadly can’t return to the forest and even if he could Mido doesn’t realise they’re the same person.”

Saria sighs. It’s a heavy sigh like the weight of the world is upon her shoulders.

“Mido never hated Link and his jealousy ruined what could have been a great friendship between the three of us. He only realised too late. I’m sure it’s the same with your Revali.”

“A person shouldn’t necessarily forgive a bully just because they feel remorseful though,” Twi cuts in quick.

“Of course, I never said that. As I mentioned all three of our relationships were muddied and will never be the same,” Saria says sincerely. “It’s just a shame that some people let emotions like jealousy cloud their perspectives. Opportunities ruined due to a moment of insecurity. We can acknowledge it’s a shame without wanting to forgive. Hopefully, the people who bully will genuinely change and be better to the next person they meet.”

“Yeah… and sometimes it will always be a ‘what if’,” Wild says and that… that is what this has all been focused on from the beginning. ‘What if’s and ‘Would they’s, all hypothetical questions when Wild should have been focusing on himself and… his self-care. 

What was a hero that couldn’t save themself?

“And sometimes we have resolution, even if it’s not the resolution we hope for,” Saria smiles and turns towards the Forest Temple just as the other heroes leave. She smiles at Time who smiles back.

Two friends who once had thought they’d spend eternity running around together. Two friends that still stuck beside each other even when they knew their childish whims weren’t possible. Two friends against the world.

Wild would like some resolution. Resolution… sounded nice. A… comfortable life back in Hateno. A warm house and a feeling of contentment. That… that sounded nice, but he needed more than resolution. He needed plans on how to get there and… smaller goals to reach those plans, and…

For now. For now, he’d enjoy his time with the other heroes. There was plenty more to see of the world. He’ll reach his resolution.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boom!!!! One chapter left!!!! It'll probably be a shorter chapter that's more epilogue than anything. Hope you're looking forward to it!!!
> 
> Also, when I was editing I was just listening to random Zelda music and Saria's theme started playing the second she started playing the Ocarina! Hilarious!!!
> 
> Anyways, thank you for all the reviews so far and I hope you're still enjoying this little story of mine!!!! See ya next week!!! x


	6. Daybreaker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Years later... Daybreaker breaks.

Daybreaker doesn't break for many years. The shield survives the entire journey with all the heroes, survives Wild's second run in with Ganon; survives a lot of brutal battles. It breaks due to Wild's own stupidity.

He had been in the Hebra mountain range (he hates those snow-covered peaks, had spent weeks searching for that one stupid shrine that was _inside_ the mountain). His shield had been looking a little delicate, but not enough to waste a potion on. It would survive a little shield surfing, especially with the snow piling so thick and it _would_ have survived the shield surfing Wild had been interested in doing if it weren’t for that rock. The snow had suddenly thinned out and the terrain had turned rocky. Usually it would have been fine, his shields could withstand that, but… Daybreaker was looking fragile, Daybreaker started cracking under his feet and-

Snapped when it hit a small insignificant rock that jutted out of a small patch of thin snow. 

Wild had been sent hurtling forward, the shield that had always protected him failing in its final seconds.

"Fuck," Wild had grumbled into the ground before pulling himself to his feet and picking the shield up. 

The once colourful shield was faded with use and scuffed beyond belief. It was beyond fixing. 

Looked like he had an excuse to visit Riju. The shield deserved to return home after all. Especially after the impressive job it had done, no shield before it had lasted so long, but then weapons and shields survived longer now. Ever since Wild had returned from his journey with the heroes.

After Wild remembered how to fix bows, Revali's bow had become his go to weapon. He was always better with a bow than a sword anyway and providing backup from a distance had stopped Wild getting into so many accidents. His potion intake shot right down. It was great for all the heroes involved. It only got better when after they left Time's Hyrule they found themselves in Sky's Skyloft.

It was an odd place, Skyloft. A tiny patch of land that flew high in the sky, the clouds drifted beneath the land and large birds flourished in the sky above (Sky had hit Wild when he had questioned what they tasted like). It was a colourful place. More colourful than anywhere in Wild's Hyrule, more colourful than the Gerudo, more colourful than the stables. Just… everywhere there was a different splash of colour. Houses painted bright colours, flowers growing all over the place; flags placed everywhere. A colourful place and so unusual to everyone. It was funny seeing which heroes were comfortable being so high in the sky.

Sky was of course the most comfortable. This was his home; he was so glad to be back. Twi, Legend and Four all seemed to have a level of comfort that just felt out of place. Wild enjoyed being this high up; it reminded him of the Divine beasts, and he had his paraglider if something did go wrong. For a similar reason Wind seemed fine being precariously high in the air, his Deku Leaf would hold if he needed it to. Warriors was alright but wouldn't go anywhere near the edge. Time and Hyrule hated it. Time spent most of their time in Skyloft sitting in the Bazaar and Hyrule had constantly questioned what would happen if they fell (no amount of reassurances that there were patrols to save people who fell could make Hyrule feel safe).

But, more importantly Sky had introduced Wild to a potion. A potion that fixed shields. A potion that fixed shields!

Wild had eagerly sprinkled it on Daybreaker after Sky explained that you didn't drink it (and Wild _had_ tried drinking it, he also may have tasted some when no one was looking. A coppery taste that unpleasantly lingered). The potion filled in any gaps of the shield seamlessly and made it look brand new. It was an amazing potion that Wild had to learn how to make! 

(He did learn how, but it had taken far too long to convince the couple to teach him how to make it. He had to barter with teaching a few potions he knew how to make that they didn't.)

While Wild was learning, Sky, being the sweetheart that he is, had even taken Wild's shield to the smithy to enforce it. After Skyloft the Daybreaker was stronger than it had ever been, and it only got stronger.

In Legend's Hyrule the Maiamai had provided further upgrades and strengthening (though Wild was terrified when he had been sucked into the creature, worried that everything would end up like it had with the Like Like).

In Hyrule's homeland a fairy offers her blessing to strengthen it.

Swords took a hammer to it when they found themselves in his Hyrule.

It seemed like every Hyrule Wild went to his shield would only get stronger (and his skills at fixing his bow would only improve).

By the time Wild returns home after their journey he has the strongest shield his Hyrule has ever seen and it… it's not really Urbosa's shield anymore. It's Wild's and it's been through so much more than it would have ever gone through if he had just left his best weapons behind. So many injuries would have occurred if he hadn't brought his strongest weapons.

He had shielded a strike aimed at Time's heart. Covered Hyrule when he was healing Warriors. Twi had used the shield once and the shield bash he had performed was so magnificent that everyone had stared in awe (and it proved just how strong the shield had gotten, Twi had used it with all his strength and it had survived). Sky had thrown the shield once, using the shield as a weapon and it hit a ReDead at just the right time (stopping Swords from being eaten by that creepy monster). The shield had been used in the final battle and Wild had diverted a lot of vicious attacks. Wild and Wind had used the shield a lot for shield surfing as well of course. Legend was even tempted to buy the shield off of him by the time their journey came to an end.

Wild couldn't be sad that the shield had come to the end of its lifetime. It had been a great boon on his journeys, and it had saved many. It was a weapon that deserved its own ballad from Kass (not that Wild was actually going to suggest the Rito make a song about a shield, he's sure his friend would do so with great amusement, but Wild would rather listen to the songs the Rito came up with himself). 

So, Wild had changed over the years. Had grown from the man who would throw a tantrum over a broken weapon to someone who would curse and move on. He can only thank that journey with the other heroes. He had learned a lot about himself and he had learnt a lot that had helped his Hyrule grow and flourish.

Relearning how to fix bows helped many who broke their weapons while travelling.

Learning how to make shield fixing potions had not only been well received in his Hyrule but had led to other potions being founded. Zelda was particularly fond of the research. She had even created potions that could fix swords and bows. 

Learning of these potions had made Zelda wonder if they could fix up the Master Sword as well. A journey the two proceeded to go on. It not only brought them closer but had helped Wild regain memories (memories he was always a little scared of before, but now… now he was happy to remember. Happy to recall the past and not judge himself too harshly… though he did always judge himself a little. One journey not enough to tackle his amount of self-loathing).

His journey had helped him and his Hyrule and he wasn't the only one. The other heroes had also gained things from their journey.

For some like Swords it was obvious. The new smithing skills he had learnt from other Hyrules could only make his work better. He'd probably become the greatest Smith that Hyrule had ever seen. Of course, he had the advantage of learning from multiple eras, but everyone should use their advantages when they were able (even if Swords' seemed a little unfair compared to some).

For some it wasn't obvious like Time's growing confidence with starting a family or Twi and Legend's acceptance of their past losses. Those doubts and scars were hidden. No way for anyone to realise they existed without having re-pried the wounds open. But the comradery and acceptance they had gained from each other had helped them heal those unseen wounds. They had all gone through similar experiences and they all had their own ways of coping. They had helped each other.

They had all grown, but that’s what journeys were about and now…

Well, life was better for Wild. He couldn’t be sure that the others had the same kind of life as him, he’s sure they didn’t; each of them had wanted different things from life, but he hopes they’re all happier now. More at peace. 

Hopes Twi got to enjoy a slow life on the farm and even if it was nearly impossible, Wild hopes he gets to meet the Princess that broke his heart again. Hopes they came to some conclusion even if it wasn’t the one they wanted.

He knows Time will start a family, Twi couldn’t exist without Time doing so, but Wild hopes he gets to live a long life; watching his family grow old together. A peaceful life beside Malon.

Legend had said he never planned to stop travelling, that he gets joy from life by exploring. Wild hopes his journeys bring him the fulfilment he wants and that he never lives to regret any of his choices.

He hopes Wind gets to choose whatever path he wishes to travel. The youngest hero had many paths he could walk and Wild knew he could find happiness down any of them and hopes he does.

Swords dreamed of fine tuning his craft and their journey had helped, but Wild is sure he can find more to craft. More to perfect. He was aiming for the greatest Smith in all of Hyrule.

He hopes that Hyrule, who doesn’t wish for much, can find a companion to walk beside him as he travels. A friend that could keep him company through the harsh world that his Hyrule is.

Warriors was an odd one. A man who claimed to have everything he needed and yet… there was clearly a desire for love. The way the man was always flirting and hoping for more. Wild hopes the Captain can find someone who will love him wholly; there was plenty to adore.

Sky, Wild had no doubt, would achieve his dreams. A long life on the surface of the world beside Zelda. That was one dream Wild didn’t worry about after all, none of their Hyrules would exist without Sky’s. Still Wild hopes he’s doing well. 

It was always hard to part ways with friends. Wild hadn’t realised, but…

That last night they had spent crowded around a campfire together had made Wild realise. This was similar to his feelings over losing his weapons.

He had learnt on that journey, and after the journey ended (always relearning the same things in different ways), that the emotions he had towards the weapons were complex. There was guilt for not treating the last remnant of his friend’s well. There was a feeling of inferiority as though he didn’t deserve to touch these weapons; to own them. A sense of reverence, Wild holding these weapons to such a high degree as though they themselves were alive and with thought. So many emotions forced onto these inanimate objects and that wasn’t even going over the emotions he felt if he broke them.

A sense of fear; _what had he done?_

A sense of regret: _was it worth it?_

A sense of sadness: _why had he used this weapon?_

A sense of doubt: _should he have used this weapon?_

A sense of anger: _WHAT HAD HE DONE?!_

So many negative emotions festering and tearing away at his mind. Trying to make it known he was a horrible person (as though he didn't already think that). But thanks to his journey there were more emotions to feel.

A sense of relief: _it finally broke, eh?_

A sense of joy: _EVERYONE'S SAFE!_

A sense of excitement: _what's to come now?!_

A sense of familiarity: _nothing's really changed, but there's a normality there that's agreeable._

A sense of acceptance: _All things come to an end._

It was the way of the world and it was something Wild had grown used to. It had taken him longer than most people, but from what Wild understands he hasn't exactly gone through life like a normal person. Maybe it was always going to take him longer to find his acceptance than anyone else…

He leaves Hebra mountain with his broken shield. Zelda is waiting for him at the stable near Rito village.

"Link!" She waves when she sees him, a large smile on her face.

That's something that's different now as well, or well something that shouldn't be different. No one calls him Wild anymore. He had gotten used to the nickname. Sometimes he felt the name was more his than his real name, but the name 'Wild' is gone now. He's just Link now. Just like how the others are all Link in their own timelines. He wonders if any of them miss their nicknames like Wild does. Maybe this is another case of Wild not being normal. With his memories mostly gone Link had felt like it belonged to someone else and receiving a name from what he was like and doing had felt more his than the name of the person he was. 

"Zelda," Wild grins as he gets closer. "The Gerudo are waiting for us!"

"Weren't we going to visit the Rito?" Zelda questions.

Wild holds out his shield. 

"I mean this broke, so I was going to give it back."

Zelda is quick to snatch the shield away and analyse the cracks in the shield. She mutters to herself. Technical talk Wild has no hope of understanding.

"How did it break? Have we run out of the potions for shields? Should we make some more?" Zelda asks out loud.

"We have plenty, this was just an accident," Wild says, taking the shield back in hand.

"An accident?" She raises a brow. Wild grins.

"Yup. Nothing serious. But it's too broken for a potion to work on it now, so I was going to return it to the Gerudo," Wild explains.

"Right. We'll go right… ah. We did promise the Rito to help with arranging trade between them and Hateno. Not to mention they said they were running low on some supplies. You did manage to get some potion ingredient in the mountains, right?" Zelda asks.

"Yup."

"Then… I'll head to the Rito with those and you can head to the Gerudo to return the shield," Zelda decides. "It's a shame to see Urbosa's shield broken. This really is the end of an era."

Urbosa was always closer to Zelda than anyone. Before Wild had been brought on as her knight, Zelda had probably been secretly hoping that Urbosa would have become it (even if she knew Urbosa couldn't; Chieftain of the Gerudo as she was). It must hurt her to see one of the last remnants of Urbosa gone.

"Are you ok?" Wild asks.

"Of course," Zelda assures. "We'll have to fix you up with a stronger shield next time of course, but the Hylian shield back in Hateno should suit you fine for now."

It's not what Wild meant, but Zelda was always looking to the future. She wasn't like Wild who always looked to the past (even when there wasn't a past for him to remember).

"I'll teleport there real quick after going to the Gerudo then," Wild says and after a quick goodbye they part ways temporarily. Zelda to the Rito. Wild to the Gerudo.

The teleportation is as quick as it ever is and changing his clothes is as easy as clicking on the Sheikah slate. That hasn't changed after all these years. The only difference is he and Zelda share the Sheikah slate. Whoever needed to use it took control of the slate at that moment before switching back. It's as much Zelda's as it is Wild's. Sharing is easy though. Especially for the years of practice they've had now.

Their friendship is better than Wild ever thought it would become. He was so worried about who he was in the past. He was so worried about what Zelda wanted for the future. He was so worried that he never took their friendship into consideration. He knew better now. Especially after seeing how the different heroes reacted to their Zeldas.

There were some that were more affectionate like Sky and his Zelda. Some that were all business, like Warriors and his Zelda. Some that had an understanding though not a close friendship like Twi and his Zelda. And some that had a decent friendship like Time and his Zelda. Wild had seen all these different reincarnations and their relationship with their Zelda and wondered over his and his Zelda's. They could grow to be whatever they wanted it seemed, if he was basing it off of the other heroes, and what he wanted was… 

Friendship. He wanted friendship.

Lucky for him, that's exactly what his Zelda wanted. A friend after the 100 years of keeping Ganon at bay. All she wanted was friendship and someone to listen to her research. Her research was fascinating and Wild had no problem listening. She didn't even want to rebuild Hyrule, just wanted to keep the descendants of her Hyrule safe and well connected. Wild could help with that, so he did. As Zelda's most trusted friend.

It was a friendship he'd never have had the guts to make without the journey with the other heroes. He'd have made excuses and tried to cling to a past that he didn't know. He'd have made everything difficult.

Thank the Goddess for interdimensional time travel.

Wild enters Gerudo town with no hassle. A few people call out and a few people stop him for conversation. One such person is Isha.

"The necklace," she says as soon as she sees Wild. Her hand already held out for the piece of jewellery.

"Must we do this every time?" Wild asks, but dutifully takes off his necklace for her.

"You added to my work without consulting me, of course we must do this every time," she snorts. She inspects the jewellery. Particularly the part added by the Gorons.

The stone is heavier than the gold and ruby and the rope chain Wild had added (inspiration from the bows Revali had taught him to fix and the braids the Rito were infamous for) didn't look like it should be able to hold the piece up. It does so. Magnificently.

"I still can't believe you added to my work. I can't believe there's someone willing to add to someone else's work!" Isha shakes her head, irritated, but once again not finding fault in the piece. It was a great looking piece.

"It was a memorial piece. For four people," Wild shrugs. "It was always going to have more added on."

That's a lie. Twi had only suggested he make a piece for the ruby, Riju had added to that and then Time had taken the idea further. Wild was the one who finalised the idea though. Threading a Rito purchased clasp to tie together the plait he had carefully braided.

"A stunning piece. That would not have come together if not for my stella craftsmanship at the beginning," Isha looks away, proud of her work. Wild smiles.

"Of course. It wouldn't have come together without you."

He replaces the necklace around his neck and carries on. The necklace rarely leaves his neck. Sometimes Zelda likes to look at the piece, but it's not as meaningful to her. If only because the piece means more to him than the four previous Champions. The piece was also the cumulation of his adventure with the other heroes. It's a reminder that the other heroes meant something to him. That they are just as important. It would be unfair to say more important, but there are days when he feels it's true.

Riju greets him with a smirk as she lounges back. It reminds him of the first time he met her. She's older now. Taller. Taller than Wild.

"It's good to see you again Champion. What brings you here?" She says it as though Wild doesn't visit for fun (he does. He makes sure to visit plenty after they talked when the other heroes were here. Makes sure they hang out without any duty-bound heroics getting in the way).

Instead of answering he takes the broken shield from his inventory and shows her.

The shield looks so different from how it was given to him. The golden edges are bolted down with large screws. The colours had faded, been repainted, faded, been repainted, faded and repainted so many times it’s impossible to tell what the original colour was. Even the compendium on the Sheikah slate registers the shield as a different item.

“Ah,” Riju says, nodding her head. “It’s time to put to rest an era.”

“I guess you could phrase it that way,” Wild agrees. “Personally, I’d have phrased it less dramatically. Like… how it was time to say a final goodbye to a dear friend?”

“ _That_ is no less dramatic,” Riju laughs, standing up and approaching Wild. She really is taller than him, he’s still getting used to having to look up at her. “Let us say our final farewells.”

Riju leads Wild through to the Gerudo training grounds where Buliara is drilling some newbies. It was an odd day the day Buliara allowed Riju to wander around on her own. 

“Chieftain Riju! Link,” she calls as she sees the two of them approaching her. “What can I do? There’s not a new threat afoot?”

“I’m not the harbinger of death!” Wild complains. He didn’t invite all the monsters around. He just destroyed them so others wouldn’t be harmed. 

“Your track record says otherwise,” Buliara barely spares him a second glance even as those words hit him hard. So harsh!

“It is one kind of omen that Link has brought us,” Riju laughs, holding the shield out for her most trusted guard.

“Ah. Urbosa’s shield…” She takes the pieces left of it, evaluates them; eyes narrowed. “You have really made the shield your own, haven’t you?”

“I was offered upgrades; I took them,” Wild shrugs. “It made the shield last longer. A fairy even blessed it!”

“Fairies don’t bless shields,” Buliara says without thought.

“Maybe not in this Hyrule,” Wild grumbles, but not loud enough for his words to be heard.

“I can fix it. It’ll take a week.”

“Great. Riju needs a new shield, especially after her last growth spurt,” Wild comments.

"As always, you have such a way with words," Riju laughs, her words jokingly mocking.

"Only the best for you," Wild grinned, no one taking their teasing in an offensive way. Everyone had grown accustom to their banter.

"As it should be," Riju grinned. 

Talk turned to the broken shield and just how much the shield had changed the way of their Hyrule. How Wild's journeys had changed Hyrule. It was odd how much one person could affect a whole country. But it wasn't really one person was it? It never had been one person. No matter which journey he had been on.

"Do you ever think of the other heroes?" Riju asks, the two of them strolling through Gerudo town. Riju not needing a guard anymore had a well-used sword strapped to her waist.

The sword looked similar to the Scimitar of the Seven (only there was a sand seal engraved into the pommel. The Chieftain's love of the animal well documented at this point).

"Of course," it doesn't even hurt to admit anymore. Wild knew his feelings well now, it didn't hurt to think back. Not anymore. "I have plenty of reminders of them as well."

"Oh? You'll have to share these reminders with me one day," Riju says. "They were a fun bunch, weren't they?"

"Aw, sad you only got to meet them the once?" Wild teases.

"Yes. It is always a shame when we are unable to meet such good company more than once," she says, and it is true. Wild will forever be glad he got to spend more than a day with them. Glad Twi was still sometimes able to reach him, even if he was stuck in his wolf form when he did. "It's why I'm glad you return to us so often."

Wild laughs lightly.

"It's why I return so often," Wild looks up at the sky. It's a clear blue. Bright and dazzling. "I know better than to leave those I care for behind."

\--

Hateno is peaceful. Hateno had not always been peaceful, the odd monster finding its way into the far-off village. But nowadays not even Bokoblins or Moblins hid around the edge of the village. Most had fled after Ganon was defeated the second time and the few that had remained had been vanquished for good. Hateno had not always been peaceful but it was now, thus it was the perfect place to call home.

And Wild did call it home.

Entering his house hidden behind a shrine and a bridge he let out a soft sigh. It had been a while since he had set foot here. A while since he could relax. There was a lot of work to set up trade through all the remaining liveable areas. He and Zelda have a lot to do. But one day he'll find the time to rest. One day he'll settle into this home for good. He doesn't know what he'll do with himself when that day comes (maybe train some of the local boys in sword fighting techniques? Maybe guard the village? Maybe join Purah and Zelda with their research?), but he knows his house is set up for it.

The house which once had only held the bare minimum was now flourishing. Wild had _too_ much stuff for his house now. There was a large wardrobe overflowing with clothes so he could free the slate of some space. There were photos covering one of the walls of his house so completely Wild had to remove some of the weapon mounts. Bolson had extended the house once already so Wild could have a large cooking area and they were looking into another expansion. A spare bed and desk had been set up for when Zelda decided to stay over.

The place truly felt like home. But, not just because it felt more lived in, but because of a few particular items. There was no way you could go on a journey without picking up a trinket or two and Wild… Wild had a fair few.

There was of course the tunic he received from Time. The bright red tunic didn't match any other outfit he wore and impressed anyone who saw him wear it. The material was magical in the way it protected him and the Gorons couldn't figure out how to imitate it. People believed it could only have been blessed by the fairies.

There was of course the spoon Sky had carefully carved for him. It rested in the kitchen; a space carved out for it on one of the walls. Wild was careful when he used it and thankfully his skills at cooking meant the item had never suffered via burning. Thankfully.

Then there were a few decorative items. Some medallions Legend had thrown everyone's way before they officially parted. Claiming it was an item of protection. Wild had hung it up in his house, the only thing he truly needed protecting (he could protect himself and his friends in person).

A telescope Wind had gifted him. The blue of the telescope was like the ocean waves and the little scorpion design on the edge looked just like the one on Wind's clothes. It was adorable looking and Wild couldn't bear to tell Wind that the Sheikah slate had a larger scope than the telescope. He had taken it with a heartfelt thanks.

Some items the heroes had given him had been physically on him. Such as the sword Swords had painstakingly crafted for him. Wild hadn't figured out how to break it yet (not that he was trying to break the sword!) And so, it loyally stayed by his side. Like the Master Sword.

There was also the chain mail Warriors had forced on him and new leather belts Twi had wrapped around his waist. His every day armour looked different now. It was stronger. 

Not everyone could give something, of course, when they parted ways and not everyone had enough to share with everyone. Like Hyrule, who's Hyrule had little to share. But, for those… well that's what the wall of pictures was for.

Wild picks up the Hylian shield from the corner wall mount, momentarily wondering what kind of shield he should find to put on the wall mount in its place, before looking to the wall of photos. The wall towers over everything. So many pictures. Some new (like the picture of Link and Sidon swimming). Some old (like the one with all the Champions from over 100 years ago). Most were of the family he had found along the way.

Pictures had been what Wild had gifted everyone. Pictures, Wild found, were the best way of remembering things. The visual proof jolting the mind back to the fun that had been had.

For example… the picture that was eye level while standing in the centre of the wall. It was a picture of everyone around a fire. Sand beneath their feet. Laughter in the air. It was their last night together…

\--

Wild galloped forward, his hair whipped back with the ocean's salty air. Epona beneath him. He had taken a short detour to Purah's, but it had been needed. It wasn't like it was a particularly strenuous detour, the others were waiting just beyond on the sandy beach.

Epona took to the sand easily (though Wild had no doubt when Twi returned to his own time, he'd be spending weeks clearing sand from her hooves). 

"Epona!" Was Twi's greeting when he finally re-met with the group. A fire had been started and most of the heroes had expecting eyes directed Wild's way. One final meal via Wild. "Sorry to leave you for so long, girl."

"You could continue to leave her," Wild joked. When Twi had to leave Epona behind, because of the deserts of Gerudo desert, Wild had continued to tease him. Assuring him he'd care for Epona if they never made it back to Wild's Hyrule again before their quest finished. "She loves me after all."

"Get off," Twi snorted, not taking Wild's words seriously. He wouldn't give his horse up to anyone (not even Ilia who had practically raised the horse with him). "You had your last ride with Epona."

"Fine. Fine. Fine," jumping off the horse, Wild quickly made his way over to the others. They were at the beach so maybe he should make… Seafood Paella?

It was their final night together. Everyone was exhausted and injured to a certain degree. An entire army and their leader defeated. Hyrule (many Hyrules) safe once again. After the final battle they had the means to create the portal back to their own Hyrules and chose to return for a final night in Wild's Hyrule before parting ways (mostly so Wild could retrieve Twi's horse back for him).

One final night…

It was a night filled with joy. A night filled with food. A night filled with tall tales and a few short tales. A night filled with fond farewells.

A night of family.

It was a night Wild hoped to never forget (which is why he had taken a picture; just in case history repeated itself). Wild need not have worried of course. It was a night that he never did forget. Nor would he ever forget the heroes who helped him learn to grieve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> END! 
> 
> What to say... it's been a joy to work on this story. It was fun trying to mix and match the different game mechanics and it was fun to try and write Wild's slow acceptance over losing that which is important to him (which I hope I paced well, I usually don't post a story until I've wrote it all but seeing as this started as a oneshot that spiraled out of control I didn't really plan it out like I usually do XD). Also I got to practice writing fight scenes which I have very little experience with. I hope I made them exciting enough XD
> 
> Last chapter is shorter than the others so I got it to you guys quicker XD I hope you enjoy this conclusion though! This final chapter I feel reads a bit different to the other chapters, but I had always intended to build up to the shield surprisingly surviving for years XD 
> 
> So... fare thee well my dudes! I'll probably write some more Linked Universe stories in the future, because it's such an interesting AU, but we'll see when that will be and what I'll even write about. Until we meet again... See ya! x

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed chapter 1! (This was meant to be a one-shot about Wild choosing between Revali's bow and his new found family and has kinda morphed into a massive story about each of the Champion's weapons... Anyways!) Hope you're looking forward to the next chapter! Can't guarantee when I will update, though I am a good chunk of the way through chapter 2!!! Any guesses on which weapon will break next under Wild's loving care?


End file.
